ISTANBUL — Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals has overturned previous rulings acquitting the Hrant Dink murder convicts of connections to a criminal organization, saying the murder was committed by an armed crime gang, Hurriyet Daily News reports.
In the ruling announced today, the court approved the sentences given to suspects but overturned the decision that acquitted them of crime gang connections.
The previous ruling, which claimed that there was no crime gang connection in the murder of Dink, had been highly controversial, causing a stir in public debate.
The suspects will now be on trial again in the Istanbul court that gave the initial rulings.
Dink, an Armenian-Turkish journalist, was assassinated in Istanbul in January 2007 by Ogün Samast, a 17-year old Turkish nationalist, in front of the offices of Agos, the weekly for which he was the editor-in-chief.
After two years of proceedings Samast was convicted on July 25, 2011, of premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm by Istanbul’s Juvenile Court for Serious Crimes and sentenced to 22 years and 10 months. Another suspect, Yasin Hayal, was convicted of ordering the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Following a five-year trial, the court had ruled on Jan. 17, 2012, that it saw no “deep state” role in the plotting of the assassination, despite serious claims that a number of civil servants were “indirectly” involved. The ruling was overturned a year later by the Supreme Court of Appeals, which led to prosecutors restarting their probe into the murder.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has canonized more than 800 15th-century martyrs who were killed after refusing to convert to Islam. The “martyrs of Otranto”, whose identities are largely unknown, were killed on a hill outside the south-east Italian town by Ottoman Turk invaders in 1480.

Along with two Latin American nuns, they became the first saints to be proclaimed during Pope Francis’s fledgling pontificate on Sunday, in a ceremony watched by tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

“As we venerate the martyrs of Otranto, let us ask God to sustain the many Christians who, today and in many parts of the world, now, still suffer from violence, and to give them the courage to be devout and to respond to evil with good,” said the pope in a homily that made no mention of Islam.

In 1480, after conquering Constantinople – modern day Istanbul – the Ottoman Sultan Mohammed II planned to invade Rome, and Otranto became his army’s port of entrance into Italy.

The local population fought back in a week-long siege, putting up a brave but hopeless resistance. When Ottoman soldiers finally overrun the town, they were ordered to kill every man over the age of 15 who refused to convert to Islam.

In an apparent attempt to avoid the move being interpreted as provocative, the Vatican said the martyrdom should be understood in “the historical context of the wars that determined relations between Europe and the Ottoman empire for a long period of time”.

Little is known of the individuals who were executed when they refused to convert. They are grouped together as the “companions” of Antonio Primaldo, thought to have been the first to die when, once the town had fallen to the Ottoman forces commanded by Gedik Ahmed Pasha.

AMMAN — On Wednesday, April 10, Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, received formal recognition from King Abdullah II of Jordan, who presented Archbishop Manougian with a royal decree affirming the latter’s election as the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem and Jordan. The formal ceremony is traditionally held following the election of new church leaders in the Holy Land.

During the meeting King Abdullah stressed the importance of preserving the Islamic and Christian character of Jerusalem and supporting the Palestinians living in the holy city. He also asserted the need to support Jerusalemites whilst they brave the challenges and the difficult conditions they are living under, in reference to Israeli attempts to empty the city of its Arab residents.

His Majesty congratulated Manougian on his new post, which he assumed following a Royal Decree issued earlier to approve the nomination of the patriarch.

Stressing his commitment to foster the values of tolerance, love and co-existence among Muslims and Christians and to strengthen the common bonds between them, the King cited the historic agreement recently reached by him and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The agreement, which was signed last month, bestows on the Monarch the role of custodian of the holy places in East Jerusalem in a bid to unify efforts to protect Jerusalem and the holy sites, especially in light of challenges and unilateral Israeli measures and attempts to change the Islamic-Christian identity of the Arab city.

The Patriarch commended King Abdullah’s continued support for the church in its efforts to preserve the holy sites, and his support for Palestinians, especially those living in Jerusalem.

In remarks during the meeting, the Patriarch said, “You have honoured me with your issuance of a Royal Decree, appointing me as the Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox followers in Jordan and Jerusalem,” asserting that he will exert his best efforts to meet the expectations of his job and to be worthy of the King’s confidence in him.

Manougian is the 97th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem and Jordan. He succeeded Patriarch Torkom Manougian.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam began a second day of consultations Wednesday by meeting with parliamentary blocs, including the Armenian Solidarity Bloc, over the formation of a new Cabinet.

Salam is expected to form a national unity government, a process that could take him a long time because of the sharp divisions among Lebanese politicians, which have increased during the past two years as a result of Syria’s crisis.

Representing the Armenian Solidarity Bloc, MP Sebouh Kalpakian, called for a technocrat government in charge of organizing the elections as scheduled, while seeking approval of an electoral law that would guarantee a healthy representation of the Lebanese people.

“We don’t want Armenians to be marginalized. We want key [Cabinet] portfolios that suit Armenian’s role and sacrifices,” Kalpakian told reporters after the meeting.

Outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigned last month over a political deadlock between Lebanon’s two main political camps and infighting in his government. Mikati, who was prime minister since June 2011, headed a government that was dominated by the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah group and its allies.

Within the Lebanese Parliament, Lebanon’s ethnic Armenian population maintains six seats; four Armenian Parliamentarians; three SD Hunchakian Party parliamentarians along with the ADL (Ramgavar) parliamentarian constitute the Armenian Solidarity Bloc and are allied with the pro-western March 14 Forces. The two remaining Armenian parliamentarians are affiliated with the ARF (Tashnak) party and are allied with Hezbollah led “March 8” government.

PARIS — A group of municipalities, members of the French National Assembly and Senate, who represent France’s major political forces, announced the formation of Circle of Friendship with Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR).

They made a special statement appreciating the consistent efforts of the NKR people and authorities to build free and democratic society, calling for an end to the NKR’s political isolation and expressing support to the NKR people’s right of self-determination.

“Assuming as a basis the absolute significance of the liberty and democratic values stated in the General Declaration on Human Rights, supporting the right to self-determination of all the peoples including the people of Nagorno Karabakh – Artsakh, and being confident that the international isolation of the Artsakh people does not contribute to the dialogue of the peoples and steadfast peace, we – political figures, deputies, and senators of the French Republic, declare about the creation of friendship circle with Artsakh.” Reads the statement.

The Circle members are Deputy Mayor of Marseille Roland Blum, Mayor of Vienne Jacques Remiller, MPs Valérie Boyer, René Rouquet, Guy Teissier, François Rochebloine, senators Sophie Zhuassen, Philippe Marini, Bernard Fournier as well as former MPs Georges Colombier and Richard Malia.

Below is the statement on establishing Circle of Friendship with Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Republic of Artsakh):

1. Taking as basis the exclusive importance of freedom and democratic values incorporated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

2. Supporting the right of self-determination of all the peoples including the people of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh);

3. Realizing the necessity of establishing long-term peace and preserving stability in the South Caucasus region;

4. Assisting the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ activities to settle the Karabakh issue and efforts made by the French Republic on this path;

5. Hailing the consistent steps of the people and authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh (Republic of Artsakh) to establish and develop free and democratic society;

6. Being sure that the isolation of the Artsakh people from international processes will contribute to a dialogue between peoples or to stability in the world;

We, politicians, MPs and senators of the French Republic, state our decision to establish a Circle of Friendship with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh).

Argentina’s Armenian community has welcomed the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as new Pope. The community members have stated that Archbishop Bergoglio has always been in friendly ties with them and participated in different events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide and served a liturgy in memory of Genocide victims during the visit of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Seven years ago the archbishop publicly demanded that Turkey admit the Ottoman-era Genocide of Armenians.

The Vatican used the term genocide to describe the massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in an official communiqué in 2000, under Pope John Paul II.

Bergoglio was elected Pope in a surprise choice on Wednesday, taking the name Francis I and becoming the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years.

President Serzh Sarkisian and Catholicos Karekin II on Thursday congratulated the new Pope Francis I on being elected as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, expressing hope that its links with Armenia will strengthen during his pontificate.

“We pray that the Lord will grant to Your Holiness a most fruitful pontificate blessed with many ever-lasting accomplishments for the glory of God and the splendor of the Church of Christ,” the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church wrote in his letter.
Karekin II “fondly” recalled his meetings and joint prayers with Bergoglio during a 2004 visit to Argentina, saying that he got to know “a courageous, wise, and just Church Leader.” “ We are happy to avow Your sincere love and affection shown towards the Armenian people,” he said.

Karekin II also said he hopes Francis will build on “significant progress” in relations between the Armenian and Catholic Churches. “It is our prayer that our cooperative efforts will continue to grow into the future and that the relations between our two sister Churches will blossom with new achievements for the sake of meeting the challenges facing humanity,” he wrote.

In a separate message, Sarkisian expressed confidence that Pope Francis will spread his “merciful influence” all over the world. He said the Armenian government expects that its “fruitful cooperation” with the Vatican “will continue deepening and developing in the same spirit.”

MOSCOW ((R-Sport)) — A debut hat-trick from Yura Movsisyan for Spartak Moscow brought his team a 3-1 win over Terek Grozny on Sunday.

The nine-time Russian champions move to fifth in the standings, level on points with fourth-placed FC Kuban, while Terek drop to seventh.

Movsisyan, who joined the club in December from FC Krasnodar, scored an early opener, poking the ball into the corner after Artem Dzyuba flicked on a throw-in from Kirill Kombarov.
The Armenian national team forward’s second goal came on 29 minutes with a 25-yard screamer off a backheel from Ari.

The hat-trick was complete with 15 minutes left of the game, Movsisyan ghosting away from Terek’s Finnish defender Juhani Ojala before slamming the ball into the far corner of Yaroslav Godzyur’s goal.
Movsisyan becomes Russian Premier League top scorer on 12 goals, two ahead of second-placed Alexander Kerzhakov of Zenit St. Petersburg.

Terek managed a consolation goal on 78 minutes when Spartak goalkeeper Sergei Pesyakov blundered and deflected a Mauricio free kick into the net.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Mwbz2EZZWOk

YEREVAN — The family of Armenian army officer Gurgen Markarian, who was hacked to death in Budapest nine years ago has sued Hungary and Azerbaijan in connection with the recent release of his convicted Azerbaijani murderer, it was announced on Friday.

Armenia’s Justice Ministry said the relatives of Markarian, as well as another Armenian officer who also took part in a NATO training course in the Hungarian capital in 2004 have filed a joint lawsuit to the European Court of Human Rights.

Top ministry officials said they want the Strasbourg court to rule that the Hungarian government’s decision last August to extradite the convict, Ramil Safarov, to Azerbaijan and his ensuing release and glorification by Baku ran counter to the European Convention on Human Rights. The plaintiffs specifically cited two provisions of the convention that uphold a person’s right to life and forbid any ethnic or religious discrimination.

A court in Budapest convicted Safarov of ax-murdering his sleeping Armenian colleague and sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2006. The Azerbaijani lieutenant now aged 35 received a hero’s welcome in Baku on August 31 following his extradition from Hungary and immediate pardoning by President Ilham Aliyev. He was promoted to the rank of major, granted a free apartment and paid eight years’ worth of back pay the following day.
Safarov’s release provoked a furious reaction from Armenia and strong international criticism. Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary in protest.

Ax-murderer Ramil Safarov

Deputy Justice Minister Ruben Melikian said the Armenian government could get involved in judicial proceedings in Strasbourg at a later stage if the European Court agrees to rule on the lawsuit. “We have the right to get involved in the proceedings as a third party,” he told a news conference.

Melikian could not say if the plaintiffs are also seeking material compensation from Budapest and Baku. Asked what the Yerevan government’s expectations from the case are, he said, “In general, there are different ways of implementing [Strasbourg court] rulings. They include the restoration of the situation that existed before a violation [of the European Convention.]”

“The European Court of Human Rights has never dealt with such a disgraceful breach of international law before,” added Melikian. “It is simply unprecedented.”
Markarian’s family members and their lawyers could not be immediately reached for comment.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenian Republic Edward Nalbandian has given an exclusive interview to the Austrian news agency. Following is the full text of interview.

- Mr. Minister, efforts aimed at establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan made during years have been in vain. How one can reach a result in those negotiations?

- Azerbaijan refuses all suggestions of Minsk group Co-Chairs, Russia, USA and France regarding the peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It refuses even initiations aimed at trust strengthening, including strengthening of ceasefire, withdrawal of snipers and creation of investigation mechanism on the violation of ceasefire. They have an illusion that with the help of revenues from petrol and gas they can buy everything: friends on international arena and beneficial resolutions for them. Why the settlement process hasn’t succeeded till now. Because international community and Azerbaijan speak different languages. While we have gathered in Vienna to promote the dialogue between civilizations, civilizational abyss between Azerbaijan and international community is deepening. Higher officials of Azerbaijan propagate intolerance, hatred, war and proclaim racist murderers as heroes. And what about supporters of peace and solidarity, like in Akram Ailisli’s case, they threaten to cut off his ear.

- Doesn’t NKR issue in some point depend on such regional country as Turkey, which has a partial position regarding the conflict?

- It does, Turkey is unilaterally advocating Azerbaijan. And naturally it cannot have the role of mediator in this process. If Turkey has a willing to promote peaceful settlement, it would be better, not to intervene in this process at all. The reason that the peaceful settlement hasn’t been reached till now is the destructive policy of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani side believes that use of force, military resolution may be a possible option. Though, of course, war is not a resolution and there is no other option but negotiating process.

- It seemed there was a tendency for the settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations in 2009. Appropriate protocols haven’t been ratified by Ankara. What was the reason of the failure?

- We reached an agreement. Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed in Zurich, nevertheless, Turkish side refused to ratify and implement those agreements. Actually, Turkey refuses the most important pacta sund servant principle of international relations, that agreements have to be respected. Positions of Armenia and international community are the same-Turkey should respect agreements, ratify and implement protocols without any preconditions.

- Why are You demanding Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide committed about 100 years ago?

- In this issue we are responsible to humanity, in order to prevent repetitions of new genocides, crimes against humanity. Genocides must be recognized, condemned, their denial must not be tolerated. This is the way. This is not only the issue of Armenian nation, but of the all humankind. This is an issue of respect for fundamental human rights and international law.

- Austria hasn’t qualified those Turkish actions as Genocide till nowadays. Are you disappointed?

- We hope that Austria, as well as other countries of Europe and world will recognize it.

- What about the progress over negotiations on Association Agreement with the European Union?

- We have recorded a visible progress over negotiation on Association Agreement, including negotiations on establishment of deep and comprehensive free trade zone. We hope to complete negotiations till Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius in November. We signed visa facilitation regime agreement with EU on December, so that EU citizens may visit Armenia without visa.

- According to evaluations of OSCE observers, presidential elections of Armenia, held on February, were generally free and fair. Though observers have pointed out some shortcomings mainly the issue of separation of state institutions and the ruling party.

-You are right; observers have given positive evaluations to the elections. They were unanimous that elections were an important step forward. Suggestions on improvements of election process were also made. We will attentively examine the proposals and will initiate all needed steps in order to implement appropriate reforms aimed at the improvement of electoral system.
Important reforms have been implemented in Armenia recently, in a result of which, our country has leading positions in some international rankings, including freedom of press, business environment and other spheres. We are determined to continue the reform process.

ARMENPRESS

PARIS — French MP, author of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, Valerie Boyer said she will never visit Turkey because of threats she receives, Turkish Milliyet reports.

This year she presented two bills one of them relating to criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, the other offers creation of a commission to investigate the decision of the French Constitutional Council to recognize the bill unconstitutional.

She said the Turkish government has disrespected her and threatened. She said there are many videos in YouTube containing bad words and disrespect in her address.

“I am glad I do not understand Turkish. But my family and I have received threats in French, I was forced to live under police protection for a while. I am deputy head of Armenian-French friendship group. I will continue my fight for punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide,” she said.

The French MP said she previously visited Turkey but now she does not want as she will endanger her life there. Boyer said even if the Turkish government promises to guarantee her safety she will not take the risk.

“The government did not kill Hrant Dink, while it is not known who did it,” she said, adding that besides threats she is also receiving supportive messages from Turkey.
“There are still people in Turkey who believe in human rights,” she said.

By Ragip Zarakolu

Conscience is a distinctive moral quality of mankind. The conscientious, the honest, the righteous or whatever you may choose to call them represent the true pride and honour of a country, but criminals wielding an axe never can!

A writer in Azerbaijan who should have been the pride of his country is presently in mortal danger, and the threat emanates from the President of the country, who is a post-Soviet autocrat. The title of “People’s Writer” of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the associated state award have been rescinded, his author’s pension has been cancelled, and his wife and son have been fired from their jobs.

This writer is Akrem Aylisli, an author, scriptwriter and dramatist who adopted the great Soviet writer Maxim Gorky’s philosophy of the fraternity of peoples at Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow, dedicated to that great man. He is presently 75 years old, a prolific writer published in many magazines and newspapers. He was elected to the parliament in 2005. His literary life had begun in 1959 with poetry, and continued with stories, plays, scripts and novels. He has also translated many works by humanist writers such as Gabriel G. Marquez, Turgenev and Chinghiz Aitmatov into the Azeri language. His plays have been performed in many former Soviet cities including Yerevan.

Lynch mobs are now mobilized in front of his house, very much like we had once witnessed in Maras and Sivas. An outstanding slogan is «Come and bring your axe!», calling on the Azeri officer Ramil Sahiboglu Seferov who decapitated an Armenian officer called Gurgen Margaryan with an axe in his sleep in 2004, twenty days before they were to return home (*). They were co-trainees in the NATO-sponsored «Partnership for Peace » program in Budapest.

Melahet Ibrahimqizi –an Azeri parliamentarian who had been a part of the delegation flown in to Ankara to talk with parliamentary chairman Köksal Toptan (**), CHP leader Deniz Baykal, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, as well as various AKP functionaries, and eventually to block the move altogether when a protocol was signed in 2009 between Armenia and Turkey to normalize relations and open the border – now tries to extend the lynch campaign to Turkey as well, saying in an aggressive speech delivered in the Azeri parliament that Aylisli insults not only Azerbaijanis, but the Turkish nation as a whole. Demands were even made in that parliamentary session that the writer be subjected to a DNA test and that he should be deprived of citizenship.

The reason for all this is the publication of Aylisli’s latest novella “Stone Dreams” in the Russian literary magazine Druzhba Narodov (Fraternity of Peoples). The novella has not even been published in Azeri yet. An enraged mob gathered in front of Aynisli’s home in the capital Baku, shouting “Shame on you, traitor!”, and burning his books, and his portraits with a cross printed on his forehead.

The novella tells the story of two Azeri men who tried to protect their Armenian neighbors from ethnic violence. It also mentions pogroms against Armenians in Sumguit and Baku cities in a vein of conscientious criticism. The novella was actually finished in 2007, but could only be published 5 years later in Russian.
It is interesting to note that an Armenian writer also dealt with the Armenian-Azeri conflict in a conscientious tone –at about the same time— and was awarded a prize in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Writers Union where he was a member reacted to his acceptance of an Azerbaijani award (though not to his writing of the story itself), whereupon the writer resigned from the Union in protest. However, he never became the target of a hate campaign as is the case in Baku now.

Researcher Sarkis Hatspanian says that the Armenian writer Levon Cavakhyan wrote the story “Kirve” (Godfather) in 2008, saying “Azeris are not my enemy” (***). Azeri writer Ekrem Eynisli – who had said “Armenians are not my enemy” at about the same time – now faces a lynch campaign 5 years later for having uttered the same sentence.

Though invited by Western countries and Russia, Akrem Aynisli takes a proud stance, saying “This is my homeland and I will not leave it”.

I call upon international public opinion as well as the democratic public in Turkey and Azerbaijan to solidarize actively with Akrem Aynisli in order to avert a new murder similar to that committed against Hrant Dink.

Ragip Zarakolu (****)

(*) Seferov was condemned to life imprisonment in Hungary, but Azerbaijan’s president Aliev had him immediately released by presidential pardon on August 31, 2012, when he was extradited to Azerbaijan.
(**) Köksal Toptan was to exercise his powers as Chairman of the Turkish Parliament in 2009 in impounding and returning –at the behest of CHP’s MP Sükrü Elekdag—books sent to members of parliament by the Gomidas Institute, thereby violating the parliamentarians’ freedom to communicate.
(***) facebook.com/notes/sarkis-hatspanian/kirve/489684637733351
(****) Founding Member of Human Rights Association and of Social History Foundation; member of PEN Turkey and of the Writers Union of Turkey; member of Turkish Publishers Association and of the International Committee for the Freedom to Publish; nobel Peace Prize Nominee by Swedish Parliament members and by the French Section of GIT [the International Work Group (GIT) ‘Academic Liberty and Freedom of Research [in Turkey]’ (www.gitfrance.fr and www.gitinitiative . com).” ]

PARIS — New bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide was introduced to French National Assembly again. Valérie Boyer, representative of the Bouches-du-Rhône Department and five other parliament members representing the Union for a Popular Movement party have drafted the new bill. It is anchored on the European Parliament’s Genocide and military crimes’ denial penalization clause.

The new measure threatens two years of imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 Euros to anyone denying a crime of genocide.

Last year a similar bill was approved by the French Senate and later the Constitutional Court prevented its enactment citing to its contradiction to the freedom of speech.

French President François Hollande has repeatedly pledged to adopt a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

BAKU — A pro-government party in Azerbaijan has offered a reward to anyone who cuts off the ear of prominent novelist Akram Aylisli, who is under attack from critics of his new book for its sympathetic depiction of Armenians.

Muasir Musafat (Modern Equality) leader Hafiz Haciyev told journalists on February 10 that his party will pay 10,000 manats ($12,700) for the ear of Aylisli.
Aylisli was officially stripped of his “People’s Writer” title and his presidentially-awarded pension last week.

He was also expelled from the Union of Azerbaijani Writers. The actions were taken because of Aylisli’s novel “Stone Dreams,” published in a popular Russian magazine last year.
The furor over the novel sparked a week of protests and book burnings, as well as calls for Aylisli to give up his citizenship.
Aylisli told journalists on February 11 that he might leave the country because of the threat.

The Baku-based Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS) issued a statement in which it “strongly condemns” Hajiyev’s “[call] for physical violence against Arkam Aylisli, one of Azerbaijan’s well known authors.” The IRFS described the recent events as a “smear campaign…amid a pre-election crackdown.”

“While IRFS welcomes the Ministry of Interior’s…statement that such calls for violence are unacceptable and that they will be properly investigated, we are dismayed that the blatant attack against Aylisli has not been condemned by the Interior Ministry, Ministry of National Security and Prosecutor General’s Office,” the group said. “IRFS urges…government agencies to urgently react and guarantee the safety of Akram Aylisli and his family as long as the pressure exists.”

BAKU — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has stripped a prominent novelist of the title of “People’s Writer,” as well as his presidentially awarded pension.
Azerbaijani media reported on February 7 that the actions were taken against Akram Aylisli because of his novel “Stone Dreams,” which was printed in a popular Russian magazine last year.
The novel is set during the wake of a bitter war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, which drew protests after its publication for its sympathetic depiction of Armenians.
Azerbaijani media quoted Aliyev’s decree, which said Aylisli was punished “for distorting facts in Azerbaijani history and insulting the feelings of Azerbaijani people.”
Angry crowds gathering this week outside a Baku apartment block shouting “Shame!” and setting photos of Akram Aylisli alight. The protesters’ complaints were hardly aesthetic. Few, in fact, appeared to have read the book.
In the novel Aylisli refers to mob violence by Azerbaijanis against helpless Armenians in Baku.
One passage vividly describes the scene of a mob beating up a man they thought was Armenian and another episode suggests that an Azerbaijani man threw an elderly Armenian woman from a balcony.
Aylisli described the novel as a message of peace and said that he didn’t expect such a heated response.
“I wanted to show that Azerbaijanis and Armenians aren’t enemies,” he told The Associated Press. “I never thought it would be so politicized.”
He said that he hoped that an author in Armenia would consider writing similar material dwelling on atrocities against Azerbaijanis.

Azerbaijan’s Orhan Pamuk
While Aylisli has voiced such sentiments informally in the past, “Stone Dreams” marks the first time the author has expressed his political views in his fiction writing.
A former lawmaker, Aylisli has also been a staunch critic of the ruling regime. “Stone Dreams” makes thinly veiled, and deeply negative, references to Heydar Aliyev, the former president and father of the current leader, Ilham Aliyev.
Ali Akhmedov, the executive secretary of the ruling Yeni Azerbaycan Party, said Aylisli had dealt a “moral blow” to the country and even accused the writer of secretly being Armenian.
Azerbaijani lawmakers meeting on February 1 in parliament went so far as to call for a DNA test to determine Aylisli’s ethnic heritage. Others called for him to be stripped of his status as a state writer and even his citizenship.
Other critics have compared Aylisli to the Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, the internationally celebrated author who has come under fire at home for comments related to the Ottoman-era massacre of ethnic Armenians, a taboo subject in Turkey.
Mubariz Gurbanli, a ruling party lawmaker, this week queried Aylisli’s motivations in writing “Stone Dreams.”
“Perhaps he wants to win a Nobel Prize as Orhan Pamuk?” he said. “He wants to please somebody by distorting the history of his people?”
Aylisli told RFE/RL he dismissed such criticism and accused Azerbaijani officials of exploiting the Azerbaijani-Armenian impasse for their own political gain.
“There are people who have made a fortune out of the sufferings of two people — Azerbaijanis and Armenians,” he said. “They’ve built careers, gotten rich, gotten good jobs [in the government]. I knew that those people would react angrily to my novel. Because they see this novel as something that speaks against them. They would never say that they were wrong in inflaming this war and causing the suffering of these people. They don’t want this conflict to be solved. They want to continue their luxurious lives, live in their villas, and let common people continue to suffer.”
Aylisli, 75, graduated from the prestigious Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. He won appreciation for his focus on rural and provincial life, basing his pen name — Aylisli — on the name of his native village in Azerbaijan’s Ordubad region.
His most famous works include the 1963 “When the Mist Rolls Over the Mountains,” and “What the Cherry Blossom Said,” published in 1983.
He has won numerous awards during both the Soviet and post-Soviet periods, including the Lenin Komsomol Award in 1968 and the Independence Award in 2002, the highest order in post-Soviet Azerbaijan.

ISTANBUL — A Kurdish independent MP has extended apologies to the Armenian nation on behalf of his ancestors who took part in the 1915 anti-Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire.
“We – as their sons, children and grandchildren – ask for forgiveness,” Agos quoted Ahmet Turk, an MP elected from the Mardin Province, as saying
He reportedly called upon the Turkish state to follow suit and apologize to the Armenians, Assyrians and Yezidis.
Noting that the Armenians suffered a big grief in 1915, Turk said his nation was used as a tool for committing the massacre against the ethnic minorities residing in the Ottoman Empire.
“The Armenians saw much grief in 1915. And the Kurds too, have their share [of guilt] in that. Our grandfathers and fathers were used for [fighting] against both the Armenians, and Assyrians, as well as the Yezidis. We today – as their children and grandchildren – apologize to them. Receiving apologies is important to my mind. If those events happened before our republic came into existence, what obstacles are there?” he said.

WASHINGTON, DC (RFE/RL) — John Kerry, a veteran pro-Armenian senator who will take over as the new U.S. secretary of state on Friday, has reaffirmed Washington’s strong support for an unconditional normalization of Turkey’s relations with Armenia.

Kerry did that in his written answers to questions that were filed by other legislators last week during confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate on his candidacy for the top U.S. diplomatic post.

“The United States is encouraging Turkey at the highest levels to engage productively with Armenia on the [2009] normalization protocols, to open the border, to reinstitute transportation, communication, and utility links between the two countries, and to re-establish diplomatic relations,” he said.

“If confirmed, I will continue to strongly support all efforts to normalize bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey so that together, they can forge a relationship that is peaceful, productive, and prosperous,” the Massachusetts Democrat wrote to Robert Menendez, the staunchly pro-Armenian incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Kerry referred to the U.S.-brokered agreements that were signed by Armenia and Turkey in 2009. The two protocols envisaged the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring states and opening of their border.

The Turkish government has made their parliamentary ratification contingent on a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan, a precondition rejected by Yerevan.

The administration of President Barack Obama likewise says that the protocols must be implemented without any preconditions. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton repeated that “the ball remains in Turkey’s court” when she visited Yerevan last June.

Risking criticism from Armenian-American groups that have long supported him, Kerry also stopped short of referring to the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide. He spoke instead of “one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century.”

Responding to Senator Barbara Boxer, Kerry made clear he will stick to the Obama administration’s policy on the sensitive issue. “As the President has emphasized in his April 24 Remembrance Day statements, the achievement of a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts of what occurred in 1915 is in all our interests,” he said.  “He also has said that the best way to advance that goal is for the Armenian and Turkish people to address the facts of the past as a part of their efforts to move forward.”

As senator, Kerry has backed numerous draft resolutions calling for an official U.S. recognition of the genocide. In 2005, he joined 30 senators in urging then President George W. Bush to reaffirm “the United States record on the Armenian Genocide.”

Kerry also criticized the Bush administration in 2006 for recalling U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans for publicly using the word “genocide” with respect to the events of 1915. He accused the administration of bowing to pressure from Turkey.

PARIS (RFE/RL) — The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan discussed Armenian plans to launch commercial flights to Nagorno-Karabakh when they met in the presence of international mediators in Paris on Monday.

A statement issued by the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group said “issues pertaining to civilian flights to and from the airport in Nagorno-Karabakh” were on the agenda of the talks aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Karabakh peace process. It did not give details of that discussion or report any agreements on the matter reached by Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mammadyarov.
The Trend news agency quoted an Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying that Mammadyarov reaffirmed official Baku’s position that any flight service between Armenia and Karabakh would be illegal until the end of “the occupation of Azerbaijani territories.”
The Armenian Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment on the Paris talks.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijan formally authorized its air force to shoot down any aircraft flying above Karabakh without Baku’s permission if there is “no precise information about civilian passengers on board.” Azerbaijani warplanes will have to force them to land at an Azerbaijani airport if they are known to transport civilians, according to that decision.
The Armenian side dismissed the fresh Azerbaijani threats, with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian saying that his forces “will ensure the safety of planned flights by civilian aircraft.” A spokesman for the Karabakh Armenian leadership, for his part, warned that an attack on Armenian planes would be an act of war.
Not surprisingly, the international community has repeatedly expressed concern over the flight dispute, urging the conflicting parties to seek a “diplomatic solution.” The Minsk Group co-chairs said on Monday that they reminded Nalbandian and Mammadyarov of their earlier statements on the issue.
The mediators said in July that they “received renewed assurances from the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue.”
The troika’s latest statement says that the Paris talks also touched upon an unpublicized “working proposal to advance the peace process” that was submitted to the parties last October. “The Foreign Ministers reiterated their support for a peaceful settlement and their determination to continue negotiations,” it adds. “The Ministers and the Co-Chairs agreed to a further discussion of the peace process in the coming weeks.”
The process has been essentially deadlocked since the failure of an Armenian-Azerbaijani summit that was hosted by Russia in June 2011.

ISTANBUL — Residents, civil society groups and political party representatives gathered in the central square of Istanbul’s Samatya neighborhood on Sunday to protest a number of attacks committed against elderly Armenian women in their homes over the past few months, one of which resulted in a death, with police failing to capture the assailants.
Organized by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Turkey’s main Armenian organization, the march saw Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputies Ertugrul Kürkçü, Sabahat Tuncel and Sirri Süreyya Önder, former chair of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) Ufuk Uras and Hrant Dink’s brother Orhan Dink participate.
“Don’t touch my neighbor” and “I will not let you hurt my brothers and sisters” read some of the signs held by the protesters. The march drew support from members of Istanbul’s other minority communities, including Syriacs, Kurds and religious conservatives
The crowd also lay carnations in front of the apartment building of one of the victims, presumably that of Maritsa Küçük, who was brutally murdered in her apartment.
All the speakers condemned the police department and accused it of covering up the reality behind the attacks.
Five women were attacked in the past two months. Police say there is no ethnic targeting, claiming that only three of the women attacked were Armenian. But civil society groups insist that the events were no ordinary cases of robbery, as nothing valuable was taken from the houses of the attacked women. There were also claims that the attacks could have been perpetrated by construction mafia seeking to prevent elderly homeowners from holding up new constructions in the region.
However, the message in Sunday’s march was clear, with most protesters saying they did not buy the police’s interpretation of the events.
On Saturday, a group of 30 members of the Freedom and Democracy Party (ÖDP) protested the attacks in front of the Kocamustafapasa Train Station. ÖDP Istanbul provincial branch secretary Çiçek Çatalkaya in a speech she made here referred to the attacks as “racist and fascist,” and asserted that these were not isolated incidents. “We know that these attacks are not related to profit seekers from urban renewal projects. We know this because the blood that was shed on this land 100 years ago has still not dried,” Çatalkaya said, in reference to the 1915 massacre of Armenians in Turkey’s Southeast.
The first attack in the past few months was on Nov. 1, 2012. A woman named Gönül A. was beaten by an intruder, and her valuables were stolen. On Nov. 28, Tuivat A. (87) was attacked inside her house. She lost one eye in the attack and her valuables were also taken. On Dec. 28, Maritsa Küçük (85) was brutally murdered in her house, where she lived alone. In the fifth attack, Sultan Aykar (80) was stabbed as she entered her house.

MEXICO CITY — Statue of Azerbaijan’s ex-president Heydar Aliyev that has been erected along a main boulevard of the Mexican capital has been removed from the place in thAbout 400 riot police cordoned off the vicinity of Friendship Park on Paseo de la Reforma, Noticieros Televisa reported.
The place where the bronze statue will be permanently relocated is still unknown.
The monument was placed in a park the center of Mexico City last summer. Azerbaijani side reportedly spent about five millions for renovation of the park.
Earlier mayor of Mexico City Miguel Angel Mancera stated that the municipality would cover the removal expenses. The official cause of the removal the city authorities say is the violation of construction norms.
Mexico City’s municipality had set up a commission to consider the issue of removing the monument which aroused indignation of capital’s residents.
The Commission recommended the government to transfer the monument to another place. In response Azerbaijan warned to stop investments in Mexico.
On January 22 the municipality announced it would relocate the monument. They also decided to change the text on the plaque of the Khojalu memorial removing the word “genocide.”

ISTANBUL — Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was commemorated on Saturday on the 6th anniversary of his murder.
A large crowd attended a ceremony held outside the offices of his Agos weekly in Istanbul, carrying banners that read “We are all Hrant, we are all Armenians” and laying carnations and lighting candles at the very spot Dink was shot dead on January 19, 2007.
“We are here today with our grief and honor. We are here today for justice and righteousness,” his wife, Rakel Dink told the crowd.
American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky also attended the commemoration.
Chomsky was in Turkey to participate in “the 2013 Hrant Dink Human Rights and Freedom of Expression” conference hosted by Istanbul’s Bogazici University.
A juvenile court in Istanbul sentenced in July 2011 the gunman in Dink’s murder, Ogun Samast, to nearly 23 years in prison.
A separate Istanbul court sentenced Yasin Hayal, another suspect in the slaying, to life in prison for instigating the murder but it stopped short of convicting him on the charges of acting under orders from a wider criminal network which had been suspected of involving high level state officials, police and military officers.
The court acquitted Erhan Tuncel, a second suspected instigator, of charges of being involved in the suspected criminal network.
The European Court of Human Rights ruled in September 2010 that Turkey had failed to protect Dink’s right to life.
Last week a chief prosecutor asked for the annulment of the Dink verdict arguing that the murder involved “an organized attempt.”
“The murder was not just an ordinary killing of a person. The act had the intention to destroy the unity of the Turkish state and create chaos in the society. Dink’s murder was an organized assassination,” the chief prosecutor from the Turkish Court of Appeals, said in a petition for re-trial of the suspects.

LONDON — On January 18, the eve of the anniversary of the 2007 murder of journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul, Mr. Eilian Williams, leader of the Cardiff organization “Solidarity with the Victims of All Genocides”, and one of his colleagues were physically attacked by the members of the Turkish Embassy in London when they wanted to deliver a letter of protest to the Ambassador Ahmet Ünal Çeviköz.
The embassy staff refused to accept the letter and one of its members attacked Ellian Williams. Mr. Williams’ clothes were torn and a police officer had to intervene to prevent things from escalating. Mr. Williams was then expelled from the embassy.
In his letter, Williams Eilian called on Turkey’s ambassador to answer the question: Who kills the Armenians in Istanbul?; referring to an article by Jenny White published on January 11 at Boston University.

“The Armenian air defense system will ensure the security of the civilian aircrafts flying from Stepanakert,” Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohnayan told a press conference on Saturday, adding that “the threats of Azerbaijan contradict the international civil aviation norms.”
As for the possibility of resumption of military actions, the Minister said the threat is still there, but the analysis of the situation shows that the possibility of war is not probable at this point.
By shooting down civilian planes heading from the Stepanakert airport, Azerbaijan will provoke a new war over Karabakh, stated David Babayan, a spokesperson for the Nagorno-Karabakh president.
According to him, the legalization of such a measure by the country’s government is yet another proof that Armenia faces an abnormal neighbor suffering from morbid fantasies.
Babayan noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) is not going to step back from the decision to operate the airport.
“We are not going to step back from our decision of course, regardless of Aliyev’s behavior. We are capable of ensuring the security of our air space and the entire Karabakh in general,” he said.
Babayan noted that a decision to shoot down civilian aircrafts is peculiar only to a country preaching fascism.
“To me, the decision adopted by their government is the most blatant manifestation of fascism and Armenophobia. A state has to be abnormal to adopt such a decision on its government level. That’s nothing but terrorism,” he said.
Babayan added that it is important for both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to raise the question in all international tribunals.

BARI, ITALY — An official opening and blessing ceremony of Armenian khachkar was held in Italy’s Bari on January 11. The khachkar was built 11 years ago by architect Ashot Grigoryan.
The opening of the khachkar was delayed several times for a number of reasons, but this year, thanks to the City Hall of Bari, and the efforts of the local Armenian Ruben Timuryan the khachkar was placed in one of the most important squares of Bari, near the main harbor.
Interestingly, the khachkar is put on the same shore where many thousands of Armenians entered Italy during the years of the Armenian Genocide.
It was a surprise for everyone, when Bari’s mayor presented to the representative or Armenian embassy documents recognizing Armenian Genocide, with which Bari became the 70th city of Italy to recognize Armenian Genocide.

ISTANBUL — A prosecutor who is conducting an investigation into the role of several security officers in the 2007 assassination of journalist Hrant Dink has submitted his understanding of the hierarchical structure of the criminal network behind the murder.
Prosecutor Muammer Akkas has placed every suspect in the Dink trial in a hierarchical chart of the organization based on evidence collected during the investigation, which is a very important development according to Dink family lawyers. The prosecution has also requested an intelligence report filed by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) that establishes links between Dink’s killers and the Special Operations Department, which does not officially exist. It is the name of the unit that was later changed to the Mobilization Unit (STK) of the Turkish Armed Forces. This report will also be included in the indictment as further evidence of the links between the murderers and illegal groups within security agencies. The prosecution’s findings are the results of a two-year investigation.
Dink, the editor-in-chief of Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, was shot by a teenager outside his office in 2007, in what initially appeared to be a murder staged due to the young hitman’s ultranationalist sentiments. However, during the course of the five-year trial, both co-plaintiff lawyers and the prosecutor were able to gather evidence indicating the role of a larger group, possibly linked to cabals inside the military plotting to overthrow the government such as the Ergenekon network. Co-plaintiff layers have long complained about attempts at a cover-up, as several gendarmerie and police officers are also involved in the trial. As if to confirm the suspicions, the court found that the hitman had acted alone, a ruling that was recently overturned by the Supreme Court of Appeals. The lower court’s judge said he knew there was an organizational link but accused the prosecution of failing to prove it, in a public row between him and the prosecutor.
MIT’s report on the Dink murder was made public last week. It states that the Dink murder, the massacre of three Bible publishers in Malatya in 2007 and the murder of a Catholic priest in Trabzon in 2006 were part of a plot devised and carried out by a group inside the General Staff’s Special Operations Department. The MIT report is likely to shed light on a number of unsolved cases, mostly assassinations in 2007. The report clearly states that the “planning, implementation and management” of the three murders was carried out by the STK.
Commenting on the prosecutor putting together the chart of the criminal organization’s makeup, lawyer for the co-plaintiff side in the Dink murder trial Bahri Belen said: “It is important that the prosecution requests the [MIT] reports. This is completely in line with the way we have wanted the Hrant Dink investigation to be perceived all along. Everything about the murder should be questioned. We can’t even dream of having the slightest hope for a democracy unless structures such as Special Operations aren’t exposed. It was clear as day that there is an organizational link the first day of the investigation.”
Erdal Dogan, a lawyer for the co-plaintiff side in the Malatya missionary murders case, said, “Murders committed by Special Operations and the National Strategies and Operations Department of Turkey [TUSHAD] should not be ignored.”

By Hrayr s. Karagueuzian

The Susurluk scandal refers to the events surrounding the peak of the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers’ Party conflict, in the mid-1990s. It is considered a scandal because it indicated a close relationship between the government, the armed forces, and organized crime. The relationship came into existence after the National Security Council (MGK), Turkey’s highest body of authority conceived the need for the marshaling of the nation’s various “resources” to combat the separatist, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)

The scandal surfaced with a car crash on 3 November 1996, near Susurluk, in the south-eastern province of Balýkesir, Turkey. The scandal revealed relations between criminal networks, the police, and the government in Turkey. When a government car crashed, found at the scene were: Abdullah Catli, internationally wanted alleged murderer; chief police officer Huseyin Kocadag; and Sedat Bucak, a deputy for the True Path party (DYP) the political party of then Prime Minster Tanzu Ciller. A sinister alliance of political representatives with gangsters in combating the Kurds was hence exposed.
Fast forward to 2013; three Kurdish women were murdered execution style in the Kurdish Information Center in Paris on January 11, 2013. One of the three murdered women, Sakine Cansiz, was a close companion of Andullah Öcalan’s, the imprisoned leader of PKK. She was present when the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) was founded in the late 1970s and spent years in the Diyarbakir Prison, notorious for the systematic torture that took place there, and later went on to become an important PKK representative in Europe.

Who Is Responsible? The question of who was behind the killings of the three Kurdish women remains unanswered at the present. However, the lessons of the past indicate a clear role for the Turkish “deep state” in assassination plots. The examples Hrant Dink who was trying to assemble and catalog the identity of Turkish citizens of Armenian descent thus bringing forward the memory of the Gencoide, the recent assassination of a teacher in an Armenian School in Turkey all point to an organized assassination rather than an ordinary killing. Surprisingly, Dink’s case was initially dismissed as an organized murder. However, most recently the prosecutor’s office of Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals has asked the top court to overturn the rulings as an “ordinary killing,” arguing that the assassination was “organized.”
“Anything is possible,” says the Turkish journalist Saruhan Oluç . “Both opponents of the peace process within the PKK, or Turkish right-wing extremists linked to the security apparatus who oppose an agreement with the Kurds, are potential perpetrators.” A politically correct discourse would be to suggest an “internal Kurdish struggle” as PM Erdogan did without wasting time. However he did not dismiss a more sinister possibility. Erdogan, with his Islamist agenda is a different breed of politician compared to his late mentor PM Erbakan. Erdogan is credited in dismantling of a military plot Balioz (Sludge hammer) designed to topple his government, However, Erdogan’s selective pursuit of justice is devoid of a high moral compass. He is after the truth that brings him more power and against issues that bring forward the memory of the Genocide. “That’s how it is here,” says the journalist Saruhan Oluç. “A positive step [i.e., talks with Ocalan] has barely been made before another setback takes place.” The journalist was referring to the recent “opening” by the Turkish PM Erdogan, who had sent a representative to ostensibly discuss possible ways of ending the lethal violence with the PKK leader Ocalan.
The question was and remains: Which Turkish government can be trusted, the “deep” or the “not so deep?”

YEREVAN — Pursuant to the Governmental Decree of the Republic of Armenia dated October 4, 2012, the citizens of the EU member-states and the Schengen Acquis states shall be exempted from the visa requirement for travel to and stay in the Republic of Armenia.
Beginning January 10, citizens of EU member states can visit Armenia and stay in the country without a visa for 90 days. The same applies to citizens of Switzerland which is not an EU member state but is in the Schengen zone.
EU and Armenia signed on 17 December 2012 a visa facilitation agreement at a ceremony that took place in Brussels. The agreement makes it easier and cheaper for citizens of Armenia, in particular those who travel most, to acquire short-stay visas allowing them to travel to and freely throughout the EU. A short-stay visa is a visa for an intended stay of no more than 90 days per period of 180 days.
For some categories of frequent travellers and under certain conditions, member states are supposed to issue multiple-entry visas with a validity from one to up to five years. Holders of diplomatic passports are exempted from the visa obligation.
The agreement also provides that the visa handling fee will not be collected for certain categories of applicants, including members of official delegations, children below the age of twelve, pensioners, researchers and students.

In 2012, corruption watchdog Transparency International reported that two-thirds of the world’s countries may be considered “highly corrupt.” It would seem tough to choose someone for the dubious honor of corruption’s “person of the year.”
One investigative-journalism NGO has done just that.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), based in Sarajevo and Bucharest, has awarded the crown to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
The group, which specializes in reporting on corruption in the region stretching from Eastern Europe to Central Asia gave the nod to Aliyev, citing extensive reports and “well-documented evidence” that “the Aliyev family has been systematically grabbing shares of the most profitable businesses” in Azerbaijan for many years.
The reports include secret ownership stakes in banks, construction firms, gold mines, and telecommunications firms. Many of the reports about Aliyev were investigated by OCCRP affiliate Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist with RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service.
“President Aliyev and his family, in fact, along with other persons in his inner circle are involved in so many secret businesses that we uncovered, actually together with Radio Free Europe this year,” says Paul Radu, OCCRP’s executive director. “We identified hidden companies that were owned by the first family of Azerbaijan in Panama, for instance, or in the Czech Republic. And we identified assets that they owned back in Azerbaijan via these companies.”
Radu is optimistic about the new tools that are making this kind of reporting more and more effective. One example he cites is that OCCRP has successfully partnered with a Scottish computer hacker.
“He works right now with us at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and he is the one who scraped [eds: got into] the Panamanian registry of companies and that allowed us to perform name-based searches,” Radu says. “And this is how we found the companies that are owned by the daughters of Aliyev and by his wife in Panama.”
However, Radu adds that the impact of such reporting in the case of the Aliyev family has not been what one might hope.
The ownership structures of the family’s foreign assets have been changed; the Azerbaijani parliament in June passed a law making it more difficult to discover who actually owns commercial companies and shielding Aliyev and his family from prosecution.
Moreover, journalist Ismayilova was subjected to a terrifying campaign of threats and harassment that she alleges was orchestrated by Aliyev’s political allies.
According to Radu, the OCCRP is now combining numerous international databases and linking them to the organization’s ongoing files of “persons of interest” — future candidates to unseat Aliyev as “person of the year.”

SOFIA — Romanian Parliament has endorsed new Cabinet of Victor Ponta on December 21, in which Armenian Varujan Vosganian was appointed as the Minister of Economy of the country.
“We think that he is one of the great individuals of Diaspora who has a lot of achievements and represents as real Armenian,” said the leader of one of Armneian community organizatuins. According to him Varujan continues the tradition of Armenians who have been ministers, parliamentarians and politicians in Romania. “I am a 100 % Armenian and 1000% Romanian,” he has once jokingly noted.
Born in Craiova to a family of Armenian ethnicity, Vosganian studied at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza High School in Focsani. He then studied Commerce at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies (graduated 1982) and Mathematics at the University of Bucharest (graduated 1991), gaining a Ph.D. in economics in 1998.
In 1990, he became president of the Armenians’ Union of Romania and he was twice (1990-1992 and 1992-1996) elected a member of the Chamber of Deputies, and twice a Senator (1996-2000 and 2004-2008), on the lists of the National Liberal Party.
Between 1996 and 2003, he was the leader of Uniunea Fortelor de Dreapta, a small right wing liberal party, which was eventually merged into the National Liberal Party.
Vosganian has written several books, especially on economics and politics, but also fiction and poetry. He is a member of the Romanian Writers’ Union, and since 2005, he has served as its vice president. Vosganian is also a leading member of the Romanian Humorists’ Association.
In December 2006, he was named Minister of Economy and commerce.
Vosganian’s political views can be characterised as right-wing conservative.
Vosganian has written several books, especially on economics and politics, but also fiction and poetry. He is a member of the Romanian Writers’ Union, and since 2005, he has served as its vice president. Vosganian is also a leading member of the Romanian Humorists’ Association.
One of his achievements is his book titled “The book of whispers” about Armenian Genocide. Varujan Vosganian noted that it was a victory for him to speak Armenia. According to him culture is the most important tool to fight injustice, because the book is more powerful than thousands of political speeches, talks and diplomatic efforts. In the author’s words his book is about the Armenian identity.

The Danish Royal Library has attracted heavy criticism after agreeing to let Turkey co-arrange an alternative exhibition about the Armenian Genocide.
The library has complied with the wishes of the Turkish ambassador to Denmark to be involved with the exhibition, ‘The Armenian Genocide and the Scandinavian response’, which is currently on display at the University of Copenhagen.
This decision has caused widespread debate and 37 Turkish intellectuals, including Taner Akçam, Cengiz Aktar, Murat Belge, Baskin Oran and Ipek and Oral Çalislar, have in an open letter in Denmark’s leading daily Berlingske called on the library’s director to reconsider his decision. In their view, the Turkish government has followed a policy of denial for more than 90 years, culminating in the murder of Hrant Dink in 2007. To allow the Turkish government to arrange an alternative exhibition will only support this policy.
As Turkish intellectuals fighting for a democratic Turkey, the signatories conclude that Turkey, through its position of denying historical truths, represents an obstacle to the development of peace, democracy and stability in the Middle East.

Following is the text of the letter
Don’t Stand Before Turkey’s Democratization and Confrontation with its History!
The individuals whose signatures appear below have been distressed to learn that the Royal Library of Denmark has given the Turkish government the opportunity to present an “alternative exhibit” in response to the Armenian Genocide exhibition.
It is incorrect to suggest that two different views of what happened in 1915 are possible. Over one million Ottoman Armenian citizens were forced out of their homes and annihilated in furtherance of an intentional state policy. What exists today is nothing other than the blatant denial of this reality by the Turkish government.
An honest reckoning with history is the non-negotiable precondition of a true democracy. The Turkish government has been suppressing historic truths and following a policy of denial for more than 90 years. In response to the many intellectuals in the nation who have urged the government to confront history honestly, this systematic suppression and intimidation policy, which reached its zenith with the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, continues unabated. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in several cases on this subject against Turkey’s position and actions.
By giving the Turkish government the opportunity to present an “alternative exhibit”, you support their policy of suppression and intimidation. The support that you are extending to a regime that has made opposition to confronting history and denial of the truth a fundamental principle is equivalent to supporting a regime of apartheid. We want to remind you that your support constitutes an obstacle to democratization efforts in Turkey today.
There is a regional aspect of this policy also. Peace, democracy and stability in the Middle East will only come about through regimes that are willing to confront history honestly. Through its position of denying historical truths, Turkey represents an obstacle to the development of peace, democracy and stability in the Middle East. We, Turkish intellectuals fighting for a democratic Turkey, urge you to reconsider your decision to grant the Turkish government the opportunity to present an “alternative exhibit” and withdraw the offer immediately and we invite you to join and support the democratic civil initiatives demanding that Turkey confront its history honestly.

Fikret Adanir (professor of history), Taner Akçam (professor of history), Ayhan Aktar (professor of sociology), Cengiz Aktar (professor of political science), Cengiz Algan (The DurDe civic initiative), Ahmet Altan (Chief Editor Taraf Newspaper), Maya Arakon (professor of political science), Oya Baydar (Writer), Yavuz Baydar (Columnist Todays Zaman Newspaper), Osman Baydemir (mayor of Diyarbakir), Murat Belge (professor of litterature), Halil Berktay (professor of history), Ismail Besikçi (professor of sociology), Hamit Bozaslan (professor of political science), Ipek Çalislar (Writer), Oral Çalislar (Columnist Radikal Newspaper), Aydin Engin (founding Editor T24 webnews), Fatma Müge Göçek (professor of sociology), Nilüfer Göle (professor of sociology), Istar Gözaydin (professor of law and politic), Gençay Gürsoy (professor of medicine) Ayse Hür (historian, columnist Radical newspaper), Ahmet Insel (professor of economics), Ayse Kadioglu (professor of political science), Gülten Kaya (music producer), Ümit Kivanç (writer), Ömer Laçiner (chief Editor Birikim Review), Roni Margulies (Poet), Baskin Oran (professor of political science), Cem Özdemir (Co-chair German Green Party), Esra Mungan (professor of psychology), Sirri Sakik (MP), Betül Tanbay (professor of mathematics), Zeynep Tanbay (choreographer), Turgut Tarhanli (professor of international law), Ufuk Uras (Former MP), Sanar Yurdatapan (Initiative for Freedom of Expression).

NUREMBERG, Germany — World super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham defended his WBO belt on Saturday with an eighth round technical knock-out win over France’s Mehdi Bouadla in Nuremberg.
Abraham dominated until American referee Mark Nelson stepped in to stop the one-sided contest 2:11 into the eighth round when Bouadla’s vision was impeded by streaming blood from repeated left and right blows.
Abraham, 32, defended his World Boxing Organisation belt for the first time since his unanimous victory over compatriot Robert Stieglitz in August which crowned him world champion for the second time.
The win over Bouadla was the 36th of his career and the 28th knock-out in his 39th fight as the bout was stopped after two minutes 11 seconds of the eighth round by referee Mark Nelson.
“This is where I started boxing. To be here now, in front of 10,000 people as world champion — there’s no better feeling,” Abraham said .
“We have only one recipe — to win. But I have to say that he never gave up. He kept going to the end, and he punched hard. 2012 was a great year. I became world champion. I’m very happy.”
Having previously defended his IBF middleweight title 10 times between 2005 and 2009, Abraham had few problems against the 30-year-old Frenchman.
“Abraham was as strong as I expected, he deserves to be champion,” said Bouadla.

Abraham (35-3, 28 KO), an Armenia-born German, had been in such control that he received a telling off from his coach after the fourth round for his gung-ho approach.
Nelson stopped the fight briefly in the seventh so the doctor could examine the cut beside Bouadla’s right eye.
But with blood streaming down his face, Abraham rocked him repeatedly with a rain of blows before Nelson stepped in towards the end of the eighth round to stop the fight.

WASHINGTON, DC — Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian discussed his reform agenda with Vice President Joe Biden and sought greater U.S. economic assistance to Armenia as he ended a working visit to the United States late on Thursday.
An Armenian government statement said Sarkisian and Biden met in the White House to discuss “prospects for the development of Armenian-American bilateral relations.” It said they also spoke about “the course of the plan of reforms implemented by the Armenian government.”
The statement gave no further details. The White House issued no statements on the meeting.
Sarkisian also met in Washington with Daniel Yohannes, the chief executive of a U.S. government corporation managing the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) program. The MCA is designed to reward countries implementing political and economic reforms with targeted economic assistance.
“The two sides discussed possibilities of Armenia’s participation in the program in the near future,” the government statement said without elaborating.
Armenia already received in 2006 $177 million in MCA funding for the rehabilitation of its rural irrigation networks that was completed in September last year.
The U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) managed by Yohannes also planned to allocate another $60 million for the reconstruction of the country’s battered rural roads. The MSS scrapped that allocation shortly after a disputed presidential election held in February 2008 and the ensuing government crackdown on the Armenian opposition.

DUBLIN, IRELAND — The United States, Russia and France on Thursday criticized Armenia and Azerbaijan for the lack of progress in their long-running peace talks and called for a “greater sense of urgency” to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Bernard Cazeneuve indicated their frustration with the impasse during an OSCE ministerial meeting held in Dublin.
“We regret that the expectations of more rapid progress in the peace process, which were raised by the Joint Statement of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the President of the Russian Federation at Sochi on January 23, 2012, were not met,” they said in a joint statement. “Instead, the parties have too often sought one-sided advantage in the negotiation process, rather than seeking to find agreement, based upon mutual understanding.”
“We call upon the parties to demonstrate a greater sense of urgency in the peace process and to work with the Co-Chairs [of the OSCE Minsk Group] to give full and careful consideration to ideas presented by the Co-Chairs during their trip to the region in November,” added the statement. It shed no light on those ideas.
The statement came as U.S., Russian and French diplomats co-chairing the Minsk Group held separate meetings with Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan and Edward Nalbandian of Armenian on the sidelines of the OSCE gathering. No details of those meetings were immediately made public.
Mammadyarov and Nalbandian held no face-to-face talks in the Irish capital. According to Clinton, Lavrov and Cazeneuve, they are ready to “meet jointly with the Co-Chairs early in 2013.”
The Minsk Group co-chairs visited Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh and met their leaders late last month. They gave no indications of any progress towards an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace accord.

Full text of the statement:
“On the occasion of the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Dublin, we, the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, call upon the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to demonstrate the political will needed to reach a peaceful settlement. As our Presidents stated at Los Cabos on June 18, 2012, the parties should be guided by the Helsinki principles, particularly those relating to the non-use of force or the threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and the elements outlined in our countries’ statements at L’Aquila in 2009 and Muskoka in 2010. Recalling the statement of our Presidents at Deauville in 2011, we again urge the parties to take decisive steps to reach a peaceful settlement.
“We regret that the expectations of more rapid progress in the peace process, which were raised by the Joint Statement of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the President of the Russian Federation at Sochi on January 23, 2012, were not met. Instead, the parties have too often sought one-sided advantage in the negotiation process, rather than seeking to find agreement, based upon mutual understanding. While recognizing the decrease in serious incidents along the Line of Contact and the border in recent months, we remind the parties of the need to continue to respect the ceasefire of 1994, and that the use of military force will not resolve the conflict. We urge the parties to refrain from actions and statements that foster feelings of enmity among their populations and have raised tensions in recent months. The leaders of the sides must prepare their populations for the day when they will live again as neighbors, not enemies, with full respect for each other’s culture, history, and traditions.
“We call upon the parties to demonstrate a greater sense of urgency in the peace process and to work with the Co-Chairs to give full and careful consideration to ideas presented by the Co-Chairs during their trip to the region in November. We welcome the readiness of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet jointly with the Co-Chairs early in 2013 to continue these discussions. Our countries continue to stand ready to do whatever we can to assist the parties, but the responsibility for putting an end to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains with them.”

Armenian Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Karine Ghazinian died in the United States on December 6 after reportedly undergoing a surgery.
Ghazinian was an Armenian diplomat, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Karine Ghazinian was born on January 8, 1955 in Yerevan. She graduated from State University, Philology Department, in 1977. During the Soviet era, she worked at the USSR embassies in Mozambique and Portugal. From 1992-1994 Ghazinian worked as a lecturer of English at Law and Philology Departments, Yerevan State University. 1997 she was appointed Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Armenia in Romania. She was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Romania in 1999-2001, 2001-2009 – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Federal Republic of Germany. Karine Kazinian worked as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia in 2009-2011. She graduated from Harvard Kennedy Government School in June, 2010. Karine Kazinian was appointed the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on September 8, 2011.
Karine Ghazinian was fluent in English, Russian, German, Romanian, and Portuguese. She was a widow, and she had a son and a daughter.

MOSCOW — President Serzh Sarkisian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met on the sidelines of a summit of former Soviet republics in Turkmenistan on Wednesday as their governments continued to discuss Armenia’s possible involvement in a Russian-led customs union.
Official Armenian and Russian sources gave no details of the meeting. Sarkisian’s press office said only that the two presidents discussed “a number of issues on the agenda of Russian-Armenian strategic relations.”
The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying that the Russian leader spoke about “integration processes” in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at his separate meetings with Sarkisian as well as the presidents of Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Putin referred to “our integration efforts” in a speech delivered at the CIS summit held in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat. “I mean the Customs Union, the Common Economic Space in the first instance,” he was reported to say.” “We will welcome all those states that will express a desire and be prepared to join these integration structures. I repeat, will both express a desire and be prepared.”
The Customs Union currently consists of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Moscow makes no secret of its desire to expand this structure and eventually turn it into a closely-knit Eurasian Union of ex-Soviet states.
Armenia has until now been reluctant to join the Customs Union, citing the absence of a common border with any of its three member states. Putin and Sarkisian discussed the matter when they met in Moscow in August. Putin said after those talks that the Russian and Armenian governments will form a work group to explore ways of Yerevan’s possible involvement in the bloc.
Top Russian officials actively promoted the Eurasian Union during visits to Yerevan this summer, fuelling media speculation that the Armenian government is under growing pressure to embrace the idea.
In a related development, Viktor Khristenko, the Russian head of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Customs Union’s governing body, visited Yerevan and met with Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian on Wednesday. An Armenian government statement said he briefed Sarkisian on “processes taking place within the framework of the Customs Union.”
The Armenian premier, for his part, told Khristenko that his government is holding successful negotiations with the European Union on a far-reaching free trade deal and plans to complete them next year, said the statement. “The prime minister pointed out that Armenia is interested in integration processes and regards them as complementary,” it added.
Tigran Sarkisian said Armenia must “deepen and expand ties with the Eurasian Union” when he addressed the Armenian parliament later in the day. Yerevan will therefore increasingly “cooperate” with the Customs Union, he said.
The premier stopped short of explicitly calling for Armenia’s accession to the Russian-lead union, however. He has repeatedly spoken out against this possibility before.
President Sarkisian held talks with Putin less than a week after hosting a summit in Yerevan of the leaders of Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. The summit, which was also attended by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, focused on efforts by the three ex-Soviet states to integrate more closely with the EU through “association agreements” currently negotiated with Brussels.

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to Senators Patrick Leahy and Lindsey Graham, and Representatives Kay Granger and Nita Lowey – the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittees in the House and Senate – calling on them to cut all security assistance to Azerbaijan, including Azerbaijan’s International Military Education and Training Account (IMET) funding. This latest request comes after the egregious repatriation and release of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army captain who had confessed to the savage 2004 axe murder of Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan during a NATO Partnership for Peace Program.
“Azerbaijan has committed the most terrible subversion of justice – making a hero of a cold-blooded killer,” said Rep. Schiff. “Plainly the investment we have made in training Azeri forces has been worse than wasted. The United States must not tolerate any acts of aggression against Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh, and this hateful action by President Aliyev undermines all international efforts to bring about a peaceful solution in the region.”

The full letter Schiff sent to the Chairmen and Ranking Members is below:
Dear Chairmen Leahy and Granger and Ranking Members Graham and Lowey:
As you continue work on the 2013 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill, I urge you to cut all security assistance to Azerbaijan, including Azerbaijan’s IMET funding, in response to the egregious repatriation and release of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army captain who had confessed to the savage 2004 axe murder of Armenian army lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, while the latter slept. At the time, the two were participating in a NATO Partnership for Peace exercise in Budapest, Hungary. After the murder, Safarov was sentenced to life in prison by a Hungarian court and imprisoned in Hungary.
On August 31, Safarov was sent home to Azerbaijan, purportedly to serve out the remainder of his sentence. Instead of prison, he was greeted as a hero by the Azeri government and promenaded through the streets of Baku carrying a bouquet of roses. President Ilham Aliyev immediately pardoned Safarov and he was promoted to the rank of major and given a new apartment and eight years of back pay.
The Aliyev government’s rapturous welcome for Safarov in Baku exposes a fundamental contempt for the rule of law that is the underpinning of any state that aspires to greater integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. It also further poisons relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the ethnic Armenian territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The OSCE’s Minsk Group (United States, Russia and France) has been trying to work with the parties to fashion a settlement to a crisis that threatens to plunge the Caucasus into war. That effort, already difficult because of years of repeated sniping incidents by Azeri forces, as well as a stream of bellicose statements from Baku, is now even more challenging.
Azerbaijan must pay a high price for its actions. Baku treasures the security assistance that it receives from Washington, not because it needs the money (it does not), but because it signifies a certain closeness in the bilateral relationship. By cutting off military aid to Azerbaijan, the United States would signal its disgust with the Safarov affair, while also reminding Aliyev that the United States will not tolerate any acts of aggression against Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh.
Furthermore, the United States should immediately suspend all IMET activities with Azerbaijan. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees IMET, the program has two aims:
• To further the goal of regional stability through effective, mutually beneficial military-to-military relations which culminate in increased understanding and defense cooperation between the United States and foreign countries; and
• To increase the ability of foreign national military and civilian personnel to absorb and maintain basic democratic values and protect internationally recognized human rights.
Azerbaijan’s actions in pardoning, parading and promoting an axe-murderer like Safarov clearly indicate that our investment there in IMET has been an abject failure. The funding, training and support has plainly not fostered either regional stability or the absorption of democratic values and a respect for human rights.
I would be happy to discuss this issue further with you or your staff, but we cannot continue to embrace a government and a military that operates at cross-purposes to our own interests and in violation of the most basic norms of international behavior.
Sincerely,
Adam Schiff
Member of Congress

BRAZZAVILLE — A cargo plane owned by a private company crashed Friday near the airport in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, killing at least 25 people including seven crew members, officials said.
The Soviet-made Ilyushin-76 belonged to Trans Air Congo and appeared to be transporting merchandise, not people. The plane was coming from Congo’s second-largest city, Pointe Noire, and tried to land during heavy rain, he said.
Five of the crew members were identified as Armenian citizens. They are Varazdat Balasanyan, the captain of the aircraft, born October 10, 1949, Ara Tovmasyan, Tadevos Hovhannisyan, Andranik Gevorgyan and Edgar Avetyan.

BEIRUT — Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian underscored Monday the importance of deepening bilateral relations between Armenia and Lebanon during the first day of his visit to Beirut, which also saw the signing of two agreements between the countries.
Sarkisian said the three-day trip reflects the importance of Armenian-Lebanese cooperation 20 years after the two countries signed their first bilateral agreements.
“I expressed to President Michel Sleiman the importance of cooperation with Lebanon on the global level,” he said.
“For our part, we have already taken the necessary measures to encourage [Lebanese] investors to come to Armenia,” Sargsyan added.
At a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Sarkisian stated that Armenia is very concerned about the situation in Syria and the fate of thousands of ethnic Armenians who live there, the Armenian leader stressed that the Syrian people once gave refuge to hundreds of thousands of Armenians fleeing massacres in Ottoman Turkey and implied that Armenia could not remain indifferent to the problems in this country.
“We are worried about the Syrian people; their pain is also our pain,” the president said.
The morning meeting saw the signing of the two agreements. One will abolish visas for diplomats and the other will allow the countries to recognize each other’s university diplomas.
“We affirmed the mutual desire to strengthen ties between the two countries and focused on the need to strengthen cultural and social cooperation,” Sleiman said.
Sleiman also said he told Sarkisian of his efforts to launch National Dialogue and distance Lebanon from regional conflicts.
Accompanied by Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn and Information Minister Walid Daouk, Sargsyan then headed to Downtown Beirut and placed a wreath of flowers in honor of the Lebanese martyrs at Martyrs Square.
Sarkisian also called for the development of bilateral relations and said that such visits play an important role in strengthening relations.
“We know the circumstances that the region is going through and we hope that Lebanon can overcome all the difficulties and we also hope that the situation here remains stable.”

Azerbaijan Threatens to Suspend Diplomatic Relations

MEXICO CITY — A three-member commission of intellectuals recommended Friday that Mexico City’s government remove a life-size bronze statue of Azerbaijan’s former president Heydar Aliyev that provoked a storm of criticism after it was installed on the capital’s main boulevard.
Critics said a dictator like Aliyev did not deserve a statue in a park where monuments have long honored the likes of Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln.
Azeri Ambassador to Mexico Ilgar Mukhtarov has declared that in case of dismantling Heydar Aliyev’s monument in Mexico Azerbaijan will apply to the court. “If Mexican Municipality decides to remove the monument Azerbaijan will suspend its diplomatic relations, close the Embassy and stop 4 billion dollar investment” which according to him “will be shameful for Mexicans”.
Mukhtarov charged that the government of Armenia, with which Azerbaijan has tense relations, and local Armenians were behind the campaign to remove Aliyev’s statue.
“We are aware that the current situation was driven by the Armenian government and the Armenian local diaspora in an attempt to discredit the work, life and dedication of Azerbaijan’s national leader,” Mukhtarov said a news conference.
Azerbaijan paid as much as $10 million to erect the statue, clean up the section of park where it sits and make similar repairs at a second site downtown.
The commission of three writers and analysts appointed by the city government said authorities erred by accepting money to allow a foreign government to essentially decide which political figures or historic events should be commemorated in the capital’s public spaces.
“In view of the majority opinions of the citizens and neighbors, the sculpture of Heydar Aliyev should be removed from the emblematic spot” on the Reforma boulevard, commission member Guillermo Osorno said.
The panel suggested that a citizen board be set up to review such proposals in the future.
Protesters have said they are offended by a monument to an authoritarian figure like Aliyev, who led Azerbaijan first as Communist Party boss during Soviet times and then as president from 1993 until his death in 2003.
Critics’ anger has been amplified by a plaque on Aliyev’s statue that describes him as “a brilliant example of infinite devotion to the motherland, loyal to the universal ideals of world peace” and by the location of the statue not far from monuments to Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and Mexico’s national heroes.

BAKU — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has used the online social network to unleash a barrage of disparaging tweets against Armenia.
“Armenia as a country is of no value,” Aliyev, in particular, tweeted on Tuesday in what was excerpts of his original November 16 speech at a meeting of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, celebrating its 20th anniversary.
“It [Armenia] is actually a colony, an outpost run from abroad, a territory artificially created on ancient Azerbaijani lands,” he added, according to RIA Novosti.
The Azeri leader said his country would “continue to expose Armenia’s aggressive policy in all international organizations” and repeated his earlier controversial comments regarding the Armenian Diaspora.
“I have often talked about it, I want to say it again without fearing anyone – our enemy is the Armenian lobby,” said Aliyev.
“We are conducting talks and at the same time building up our military strength,” Aliyev said in another tweet, adding that Baku would continue its efforts to isolate its neighbor, according to Reuters.
“Azerbaijan grows stronger and more powerful by the year, while Armenia weakens and declines every year … We will continue our efforts to isolate Armenia.”
Aliyev and his government have tried to boost their presence online, where dissident Azeri bloggers and members of the Armenian diaspora regularly attack Azerbaijan’s human rights record.

LONDON — A display of Armenian treasures celebrating the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing, the designation of Yerevan as 2012-2013 World Book Capital and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the United Kingdom, is on show in the Ritblat Treasures Gallery of the British Library until the end of January 2013.
On view are a number of exquisitely illuminated manuscripts and rare specimen of the earliest Armenian printed books the Library holds, the Library’s official website informs.
Printing in Armenian began in 1512 in Venice, spreading to other European cities, the Near and Middle East and India in the centuries that followed. In Armenia itself printing was introduced in 1771.

YEREVAN — Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has reiterated Yerevan’s position that negotiations with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh should continue around a set of key principles proposed by international mediators in recent years that he implied have not been finalized yet because of Baku’s unconstructive approach.
Nalbandian made the statement at a joint press conference with the visiting Latvian foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, on Thursday when responding to a media question on the idea “recently floated” in Azerbaijan concerning a new “roadmap” for the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
Such views in Azerbaijan are likely to have followed the latest attempt by international brokers to restart the Armenian-Azerbaijan peace talks that stalled last summer.
The Karabakh negotiation process came to a standstill after a series of deadly border skirmishes and especially in the wake of the controversial pardoning in Azerbaijan of Ramil Safarov, a convicted killer of an Armenian serviceman who was handed over to Baku by Hungary more than two months ago.
Speaking at the press conference Foreign Minister Nalbandian brushed aside the assumptions that a new “roadmap” implying a phased solution could help the process. He said he had the impression that “the authors of this proposal have stuck on the information level typical of the 1990s.”
“Seventeen years have passed since 1995, the train has left the station, but some in Azerbaijan are still standing on the platform,” said the top Armenian diplomat, speaking figuratively about the history of the peace process.
He stressed that a “roadmap” regarding some of the key principles of conflict settlement had already been presented to the sides by the international community.
“But we couldn’t make progress at the Kazan summit as Azerbaijan rejected these proposals,” charged Nalbandian, referring to a set of basic principles that Armenia believes are anchored on the combination of the right of Karabakh Armenians to self-determination, Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and the nonuse of force or threat of force in resolving the conflict.
“I don’t think that the idea of the Azerbaijani side regarding a new roadmap may be serious, especially when the matter concerns a roadmap that emerged 17 years ago,” Nalbandian said.
The Armenian foreign minister also referred to the statements issued by the leaders of the Minsk Group co-chair countries from the recent G8 and G20 summits urging the parties to the conflict to make progress towards agreeing on the basic principles of Karabakh peace.

Holy Martyrs Memorial Complex and a nearby chapel in the town of Deir ez-Zor (450 kilometers to the northeast from capital Damascus) has sustained some damage caused by bomb shelling and explosions. The complex immortalizes the memory of hundreds of thousands of Armenians killed during the Ottoman-era death marches through the Syrian desert.
A video footage distributed on YouTube by Syrian opposition groups shows damage in the interior of the complex with fallen stones and shattered glasses.
Late last month the Armenian Surp Gevorg (St. George) church located at a scene of continuing fighting between the Syrian army and rebels in Aleppo was seriously damaged by fire.

PARIS — Armenia and France accentuated their longstanding friendly relations and pledged to boost economic and political ties as their leaders met in Paris on Monday.
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, who arrived in France on a three-day official visit the previous night, was received by his French counterpart Francois Hollande in the Elysee Palace, with the agenda of the talks ranging from economic cooperation to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regional concerns including Syria and Iran. The sides also addressed the prospect of a new legislation in France to criminalize denial of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
After the meeting the two leaders made statements for the press.
One of the major issues on the agenda of the talks that lasted for nearly an hour was the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement in which France acts as one of the international mediators between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Hollande stressed that France saw a settlement within the framework of the so-called Madrid principles and vowed continued French mediation in finding a solution to the protracted conflict.
“France, which is a member of the Minsk Group, will do everything to make the negotiations reach their conclusion. As you know, the negotiations were suspended at one point, but now they have resumed,” said the French leader.
Hollande also told the media that he discussed with Sarkisian other regional concerns, including the crisis in Syria and developments around Iran.
Expressing his understanding of Armenia’s cautious position on Syria where there is a sizable ethnic Armenian community, the French leader still stressed that Syria needs a change of its regime. He did not elaborate on discussions involving Iran, only saying that he hoped the messages made at the meeting would get across through the Armenian president.
For his part, Sarkisian thanked the French government and people for their positions affirming the Armenian Genocide.
Speaking about prospects of economic cooperation Hollande said that France was the second largest investor in Armenia’s economy. Still, he stressed the need for deepening economic ties. He said that French-Armenian economic ties could be expanded especially in the transportation and agricultural sectors.
“We, indeed, would like the French capital to expand in Armenia,” Sarkisian underscored. “This time I have come to France to tell the French president, the very good friend of mine and the Armenian people, Francois Hollande, that Armenia is deeply interested in expanding the agenda of Armenian-French relations.”
Hollande said he accepted Sarkisian’s invitation to pay a state visit to Armenia next year.
The meeting between Armenian and French Presidents was followed by a state dinner in honor of Serzh Sarkisian.
During the dinner Francois Hollande reiterated the pledge to redraft the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in France, stressing the need to ensure the legal framework to avoid censorship by the Constitutional Council.

CYPRUS — An organization for religious foundations in northen Cyprus (occupied by Turkey) has leased an historic and beautifully restored Armenian site through an unfair and opaque tender procedure, the United Nations Development Program-Action for Cooperation and Trust (UNDP-ACT) program have said, the Cyprus Mail reports.
EVKAF, that oversees religious foundations in the north, leased in August the 14th century Armenian Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin and Monastery complex (AMD) in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that was renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.
Turkish Cypriot press reports named the Near East University as the winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a cultural centre.
According to Vartkes Mahdessian, the Armenian representative in parliament, such a move goes against the project’s original intention.
“The objective was to have a multi-communal area where communities could come together and for the church to be used as a place of worship by the Armenian community,” he said yesterday.
UNDP-ACT echoed Mahdessian’s concerns in a news release yesterday.
Stakeholders worked “to restore the site to international standards so that it could encourage peace and reconciliation between all of the communities in Cyprus,” said the statement from UNDP-ACT and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Although UNDP-ACT and USAID did not name the tender winner, they recently said that they learned that “the site had been leased by EVKAF through a tender process that was neither fair nor transparent.”
“We have expressed our serious concerns to EVKAF about this unacceptable result,” the news release said.
USAID and UNDP-ACT put €3.5 million into what they have called a “visionary endeavour” and a “unique confidence building measure” referring to efforts to build trust among the island’s communities.
“UNDP and USAID look forward to a speedy resolution of this issue so that we can continue to support all communities in Cyprus on cultural heritage initiatives,” the news release said.
Mahdessian said that the news release “enforces our efforts” adding that they have been meeting with diplomats and representations “and we are waiting for an outcome whereby justice will be restored.”
As a first step, the tender procedure must be annulled, Mahdessian said. According to the UNDP and USAID, the Turkish Cypriot leadership agreed to investigate the outcome and take action “as appropriate”.
The AMD includes historic buildings partially surrounded by a tall masonry wall and including a Gothic masonry church and part of a monastery complex. It was in poor condition when the decision to fix it was taken.

The Armenian Council of America PAC sent a letter addressed to Barack Obama congratulating him on his reelection as the President of the United States. The letter also noted the community’s hopes that the administration will address issues of great importance for Armenian Americans. The following is the letter in its entirety:

Dear President Obama,

The Armenian Council of America-PAC (ACA-PAC) would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your momentous victory in the 2012 Presidential Elections.

Your plans set forth to recover the economy and the urgency to restore faith in the American working class has evoked a new sense of confidence that was lost in the American people during these harsh economic times of home foreclosures, unemployment and poverty.

We applaud your conviction in giving every American a chance to succeed and ensuring that healthcare will be available and affordable for the middle class and low-income families.

As a proud Armenian-American political organization that endorsed you for your second term as President, we hope that in the next four years your Administration will address the following issues that are of great importance to Armenian-Americans:

1. Urge Azerbaijan to refrain from hostile rhetoric and actions against the Republics of Armenia and Karabagh and seek a lasting settlement for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination.

2. Urge Turkey to reopen its border with Armenia without any preconditions and re-emphasize the need for Turkey to come to terms with its own history and accept the Genocide as a historical fact.

3. Utilize the proper English term of Genocide in reference to the Genocide of Armenians by the Young Turks in the Ottoman Empire.

4. Have your foreign policy team pay more attention to issues of governance and development in the Republic of Armenia.

5. Make the safety and security of Armenians and other vulnerable minority communities affected by the Syrian conflict a priority.

We are looking forward to your leadership in these matters for the next four years and beyond.

GLENDALE, CA – - The Armenian Council of America – PAC (ACA-PAC) is proud to announce the historic victory of the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama in addition to several other candidates endorsed by ACA-PAC at the Federal and State level.
Incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein, Armenian American Congresswomen Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo, Congressman Brad Sherman, Congressman Adam Schiff and Congresswomen Maxine Waters, all long-time friends of the Armenian community achieved victory by a landslide against their opponents, as did Congresswoman Judy Chu who has continuously proven her dedication and support of the Armenian-American community.
In the California State Assembly, Armenian American Rep. Khatcho Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo), and Rep. Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) both prevailed showing that their constituents preferred the incumbent candidates to represent them in the State Assembly. Pasadena City Councilmember Chris Holden prevailed with a marginal win in the 41st Assembly District race, a district which encompasses a large concentration of Armenian-Americans in the San Gabriel Valley.
Another highly concentrated Armenian-American district, the 39th Assembly District elected Raul Bocanegra, an educator who has close ties to the community. In the newly drawn 46th Assembly District, an area with a sizeable Armenian-American population, Armenian-American Adrin Nazarian, former Chief of Staff to Councilmember Paul Krekorian, prevailed over his opponent with a large margin.
Finally, in the 43rd Assembly District, voters re-elected Chair of the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee, Assemblyman Mike Gatto, whose district represents the largest Armenian-American constituency in the United States. Gatto has worked very closely with the Armenian-American community since he was first elected in June of 2010 and has authored and supported several bills that are substantially beneficial to Armenian-American interests.

President Barack Obama won re-election to a second term in the White House beating Republican challenger Mitt Romney after a long and bitter campaign.
Obama defeated Romney in a series of key swing states despite a weak economic recovery and persistent high unemployment as U.S. voters decided between two starkly different visions for the country.
Obama handily defeated Romney after nabbing almost every one of the 12 crucial battleground states.
The Obama victory marks an end to a years-long campaign that saw historic advertisement spending levels, countless rallies and speeches, and three much-watched debates.
Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama on winning reelection and expressed confidence that U.S.-Armenian relations will grow even closer during his second term.
“Your impressive victory has proven that the course taken by you for moving the United States forward, your domestic and international policy meet the expectations of the overwhelming majority of the American people,” Sarkisian said in a letter released by his press office.
“I am also greatly pleased that with your reelection we will be able to continue to develop and deepen the Armenian-American relations which currently enjoy the highest level in the history of our bilateral contacts,” he said. “I remain confident that during the four years of your second term our multifaceted cooperation will yield new impressive results for the mutual benefit of our peoples.”
Armenian Council of America- PAC had endorsed President Obama for a second term, while another Armenian PAC stayed neutral in this race.

BAKU — U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar has issued a statement on the protection of cultural heritage in the region.
“After the appointment, I started learning about the culture and history of the country. I have recently visited Nakhijevan, Lankaran, Shaki, Oghuz, Guba and Lahij. These visits gave me a better opportunity to familiarize myself with the country’s cultural heritage. The region has a complicated history. Nagorno Karabakh conflict claimed thousands of lives, and seriously affected the places having historical, religious and cultural importance in the region. During my visit to Nakhijevan, I held discussions with the local authorities on the destruction of the ancient Armenian cemetery in Jugha. I regret that the authorities did not allow me to visit the place, citing security reasons. The protection of the region’s heritage is essential to future peace,” the statement reads.
The United States supports the efforts of Armenia and Azerbaijan to protect the historical archives of each other’s communities in their countries. For example, next week Armenian and Azerbaijani archivists will be in the U.S. on a joint program to learn more about preservation of cultural artifacts. Efforts of this kind are encouraging and we will do our best to support any such initiatives in the future,” the statement reads.

Jugha
Nakhichevan’s Azeri authorities have completely destroyed Armenian khachkars (cross-stones) and chapels tracing back to the 9th century. At the beginning of the 17th century, the cemetery, where the ancestors of present-day Nor Jugha Armenians were buried, had some 12,000 khachkars: by 1998, however, their number had dropped to less than 2,000 until complete destruction.
One of the famous settlements in the historical province of Yernjak, ancient Armenia, Jugha existed intermittently until 1848. Having the status of a village in the early Middle Ages, it grew into a town between the 10th and 13th centuries, enjoying the fame of an outstanding trade centre in Armenia between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Jugha was eyewitness to all the historical events that took place in the territory between Nakhichevan and Vaspurakan. In the Middle Ages, the densely-populated prosperous town was often subjected to invasions by foreign forces, being periodically devastated, plundered and set on fire. In 1605 Jugha was finally reduced to ruins, its population being deported.

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States has called for a “diplomatic solution” to an escalating Armenian-Azerbaijani war of words over the planned launch of commercial flights from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The United States urges the parties to find a diplomatic solution to issues relating to the operation of the airport, in keeping with the relevant international agreements, customary international law, and the current practice between Armenia and Azerbaijan with respect to civilian air travel,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news briefing in Washington on Friday.
Nuland would not say whether or not the planned flights from Yerevan and Stepanakert should go ahead without Azerbaijan’s permission. She cited instead statements on the issue that have been made by U.S., Russian and French mediators seeking to broker a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
In one such statement issued in July, the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group said they “received renewed assurances from the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue.”
However, Azerbaijani officials have since continued to threaten to forcibly halt any flights to Stepanakert’s newly renovated airport. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reiterated those threats last week. The Armenian military, for its part, warned that it would counter any Azerbaijani attempts to shoot down civilian aircraft over Karabakh.
Although the Karabakh airport’s reconstruction was essentially completed recently, it remains unclear when it will start functioning. The Karabakh authorities have repeatedly postponed the launch of the flights, citing technical problems.

YEREVAN — Yerevan hosted a seminar on “Enhancing Cooperative Security: The Added Value of NATO’s New Partnership Policy” as part of the NATO Week in Armenia. The event brought together high-ranking officials from NATO, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, political scientists, experts, NGO representatives.
Armenian peacekeepers are carrying out mission in Kosovo and Afghanistan within the framework of Armenia-NATO cooperation in the field of security, which proves that Armenia is willing to further deepen the cooperation with the North-Atlantic Alliance, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimyan said.
NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James Appaturai said, in turn, that NATO pays serious attention to the cooperation with Armenia.
“The two most important areas of Armenia-NATO cooperation include operations and defense reforms, US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern said.
“Armenia has contributed a good number of very skilled troops to NATO operation in Afghanistan and has resumed its contribution to KFOR,” the Ambassador added. As for the defense reforms, the Ambassador said “NATO is encouraging the Armenian military to develop a professionalized army.”
Ambassador Heffern said there is no competition between the United States and Russia in the region. “We work very closely with each other, especially on the Minsk Group process,” he added.According to John Hefffern, there is no competition between the collective Security Treaty organization (CSTO) and NATO. “Armenia has a special relationship with Russia and the CSTO and has an important partnership with NATO, the Ambassador said, adding that he sees no conflict between the two at all.
Touching upon the operation of the Stepanakert airport, the Ambassador said “there cannot be attacks against civilians.”
As for NATO’s role in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, John Heffern said NATO does not seek a direct role in the Karabakh issue. “We have a confidence in the OSCE, and the Minsk Group is the best form for that.

By Rajat Ghai

New Delhi — The man who gave us the sensitive “Masoom”, the hilariously thrilling “Mr. India”, the gripping “Bandit Queen” and the grand period drama “Elizabeth” has not lost any of his creative zeal. The latest topic to catch Shekhar Kapur’s fancy is the Armenian genocide, and he knows it’s going to be challenging.
The film deals with the systematic extermination of minority Armenians in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) by the Ottoman Empire during and after the Great War (1915-1923). (The Armenians had been settled in Anatolia for generations after their tiny country in the Caucusus region northeast of Turkey was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1514) The event, termed genocide by Armenians the world over, caused the deaths of 1 to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians in Anatolia.
Kapur had recently tweeted that he was going to Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, to collect material on the event. The idea, he said, came to him from a script sent by the man who wrote “Motorcyle Diaries”.
“It is a part of world history though a very shameful one,” Kapur told IANS during a candid conversation here.
“The idea came to me based on a script sent to me by the screenwriter of ‘Motorcycle Diaries’ (Puerto Rican Jose Rivera). I fell in love with the script. It is a challenging project though. It will require lots of money, lots of passion and organisation. But there are a lot of passionate people behind this project. So it will hopefully see the light of day,” he said.
However, filming of the movie will not start before another year, says Kapur, who is yet to begin work on his long-pending movie on water wars, “Paani”.
The Armenian genocide is a particularly touchy topic in the political state that succeeded the Ottoman Sultanate in 1923, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s Republic of Turkey.
So taboo is the topic for both – the Turkish government and ordinary Turks, that a Nobel laureate like Orhan Pamuk was prosecuted and found himself on the hit list of a far-right Turkish group for openly stating that Turkey had committed genocide against the Armenians.
Does Kapur fear inviting similar censure?
“I invited the wrath of upper castes, the government and the censor board with ‘Bandit Queen’. But I did not back down. I believe in fighting for what I believe in,” he said with a wry smile.
“Moreover,” he added, “there has been a shift in Turkish society. Nobody from that period is alive today. The new generation believes that their nation is great and has to move on. They say, ‘Why can’t we accept what happened’?”
Controversy is not new to Kapur. He had drawn flak from British tabloids in 2002, when he directed his own version of A.E.W. Mason’s novel “The Four Feathers”, starring the late Heath Ledger. The novel is centred on the Mahdist War in Sudan, sparked by the death of Charles Gordon (Gordon Pasha). Kapur was accused of being ‘anti-British’ when the film released.
“I was not anti-British. I was anti-colonisation. That is why I made the film. I made my own version because the novel and the previous film versions were heavily pro-colonial. It was colonial arrogance that led the British to intervene in Sudan. It was this that I wanted to show,” clarified Kapur.
The 66-year-old is the only Indian to have made a successful Hollywood film. “Elizabeth” (1998) won Cate Blanchett the Bafta and the Golden Globe for best actress though she lost out on the Oscar. The film, however, received an Oscar for best makeup. The sequel “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007) was also well received.
With the two period dramas behind him, is there anything special about history that attracts him?
“A society that does not learn from its past is condemned to repeat its mistakes. As a filmmaker, history for me is like sci-fi. I can create an entire world of my own,” said Kapur.

Seven ethnic Armenians have been kidnapped near the war-stricken Syrian city of Aleppo, local Armenian sources and the Foreign Ministry in Yerevan said on Tuesday.
A spokesman for a Syrian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Zhirayr Reisian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that they as well as three other individuals were stopped and forced off a bus on their way from Lebanon’s capital Beirut to Aleppo on Monday.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry identified five of those Armenians as Garo Pampalian, Arsen Aroian, Levon Zeitunian, Bashar and George Rabat and said it is trying to clarify the others’ names. The ministry said their whereabouts remain unknown.
The kidnapping was most probably the work of Syrian rebel groups fighting forces loyal to the beleaguered President Bashar al-Assad.
The incident was reported two days after Sourp Kevork (Saint George) Armenian Apostolic church in Aleppo was seriously damaged by fire. Their was no indication that the church was speciffically targeted.
The Sourp Kevork church is located in the district of Nor Kyugh, scene of continuing fighting between the Syrian army and rebels. The Mesrobian Armenian school adjacent to the church has been seriously damaged, too.
Earlier on Monday a blast near an Armenian district of Syrian capital Damascus reportedly killed 10 people and wounded around 50. The Jaramana district blast has killed two Armenians—Rana Salhap Kaladjian and Rana Nanouf Mehmedjian. An Armenian, by the name of Anoush Apovian, was injured, but, after being administered first aid, she was discharged from hospital.

ISTANBUL — , Today’s Zaman daily’s columnist writes in his article.
The author of the book is the grandson of Cemal Pasha, a key figure in the Young Turk government. In his book, Hasan Cemal not only presented factual data on the tragedy, but, also, he spoke about how his personal views have changed and how he turned from a genocide denier to a recognizer.
“The book starts with the first column Hasan Cemal wrote on the topic on Feb. 18, 1985, largely loyal to the official view of Ankara, which maintains that the question has to do with ‘reciprocal massacres’ between Armenians and Muslims, and ends with the talk he gave at the University of California, Los Angeles on March 31, 2011, in which he recognized the ‘Armenian genocide,’” the columnist writes.
The book also quotes passages from Cemal Pasha’s memoirs published in Germany in 1919, in which Cemal Pasha—who is considered to be one of the organizers of the genocide—specifically claimed that, “The real blame [for the Genocide] is with the Russian policy which rascally incited them to attack each other [that is, the Armenians and the Turks].
Pointing to the fact that so far no prosecutions were launched in Turkey against the book’s author, or its publisher, Today’s Zaman states: “Turkey is moving on to leave no taboos unbroken on the other.”
“The late Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist, who fell victim to a racist plot in 2007, said, ‘Neither denial nor recognition first, but cognition.’ I believe those words are still relevant,” Today’s Zaman’s columnist concluded in his article.

PARIS — The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet in Paris on Saturday for the first time since an international scandal sparked by the release from prison of an Azerbaijani army officer who hacked to death an Armenian colleague in Hungary.
Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mammadyarov will resume their talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the presence of the U.S., Russian and French diplomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group.
The talks were effectively frozen after the Azerbaijani axe-murderer Ramil Safarov was released from a Hungarian prison and given a hero’s welcome in Azerbaijan on August 31. The Armenian government reacted furiously to the development and faced domestic calls to pull out of the Karabakh peace process.
The Minsk Group co-chairs held separate crisis talks with Nalbandian and Mammadyarov in Paris just days after Safarov was pardoned and promoted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. In an ensuing joint statement, they expressed “deep concern” at the pardon, saying that it undermined their efforts to broker a peaceful settlement.
The two ministers also met separately with the co-chairs when they visited New York later in September to attend a session of the UN General Assembly. Nalbandian is understood to have refused a face-to-face encounter with Mammadyarov.
A spokesman for Bako Sahakian, the president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, said on Friday that no progress should be anticipated in the talks because of the “disgraceful” Safarov affair. Davit Babayan accused Baku of seeking to torpedo the peace process and urged the mediators to “clearly state that any attempt at a forcible solution to the conflict is simply unacceptable.”

YEREVAN — The repeatedly postponed construction of a big hydroelectric plant on the Arax river marking Armenia’s border with Iran will finally start next month, the energy ministers of the two neighboring states said on Thursday.
Energy Minister Armen Movsisian and his Iranian counterpart Majid Namjou made the announcement after wrapping up a two-day session of an Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in Yerevan.
“At Mr. Namjou’s proposal, within the next 10-15 days we will hold the inauguration ceremony and the construction of the Meghri plant will get underway,” Movsisian told a joint news conference. He said Namjou has personally helped to speed up the implementation of the project estimated to cost at least $330 million.
The Armenian and Iranian governments agreed to build the 130-megawatt facility about a decade ago but have not succeeded in getting the project off the drawing board until now. Movsisian announced the impending start of its construction by Iranian firms in July 2010. He later blamed “situations in Iran” for the delay.
Armenian and Iranian officials announced a new date for the launch of the project — late August — after Namjou’s previous trip to Yerevan in June this year.
According to Armenian Energy Ministry sources, an Iranian company will build the plant and use all electricity generated by it at will for 15 years. The facility will then become property of Armenia, the sources told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
Namjou complained about the repeated delays in the realization of this and other Armenian-Iranian energy deals, including the construction of a fuel pipeline, at the start of the commission meeting on Wednesday. He said on Thursday that he proposed that two sides set up a joint task force that would monitor the implementation of Armenian-Iranian agreements and quickly deal with emerging obstacles.
“I think that the creation of such a task force would greatly contribute to the implementation of those agreements,” the Iranian minister told journalists. He said the Iranian government is ready to host the first meeting of that panel in Tehran soon.

MEXICO CITY — On a visit to Mexico on Monday Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian voiced his concern over adoption of distorting resolutions by Mexican parliament over Nagorno Karabakh.
Mexican lawmakers passed a resolution earlier this year saying that the military operation launched by Armenians near Khojalu in late February 1992 was an instance of ethnic cleansings against Azeri civilians.
Meeting with his counterpart Patricia Espinosa, the Armenian minister stressed that these resolutions roughly contradict the position of the international community voiced many times by the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries and harm the talks and regional security as well as negatively affect Armenian-Mexican relations.
The minister also stressed that he shares the viewpoint of Mexican human right defenders that the unveiling of the so-called “Khojalu monument” in Mexico is an offence to the memory of genocide victims and agreed with the responses throughout the world over placing statue of former president of Azerbaijan in Mexico’s capital. Mexico’s Minister offered explanations over the placing of the former president’s statue, saying the Mexican public has negatively responded to it.
On the same day the Armenian minister met with the members of the Mexican Senate. He said this year the two countries are marking 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations but not everything that was done was aimed at developing the relations, but just the opposite, there were steps that harmed them. “What I mean is the adoption of resolutions about Nagorno Karabakh by the Mexican former convocation parliament which contradict the stance of the international community and encourages the unconstructive stance of Azerbaijan and its aggressive steps,” Minister Nalbandian said.

MEXICO. – Setting up a statue of the Azerbaijani former President, dictator Heydar Aliyev in one of the central parks of Mexico brought forth the anger and protest of the Mexicans, Associated Press reports.
“It is really out of place. Why couldn’t they put up a monument to anybody who did anything good?” an 18-year-old high school student Miguel Angel Mendoza said.
It turned out that Azerbaijan contributed $5 million to renovate two Mexico City parks, which allowed it to put monuments in both. Critics claim that it is not the right place for dictator Aliyev next to Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln. In addition, protesters demonstrated in front of the monument last week, holding banners that read “Get rid of the dictator!”

Read more in LA Times: At Mexico City Park, Statue of Azerbaijan Leader Elicits Protest

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s head of internal intelligence Wissam al-Hassan has been killed in a massive car bomb attack in central Beirut.
The motive for the bombing was not immediately clear, but the explosion came amid growing concerns that the conflict in neighboring Syria could spill over into Lebanon.
The October 19 blast occurred in predominantly Christian east Beirut, near the headquarters of the Christian Phalange party. Hassan, had led an investigation that implicated Syria and Lebanon’s Hizballah Shi’ite militia in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
Hassan also led an investigation that uncovered a recent bombing plot that led to the arrest of a Lebanese politician who is allied with Assad.
An Armenian woman identified as Georgette Sarkisian was among the victims.

LOS ANGELES — On November 6, the American people will vote to select their next president. The Armenian Council of America – Political Action Committee endorses President Barack Obama and urges all Armenian Americans to vote and ensure his reelection.

Barack Obama’s main rival in the election is former Massachusetts Governor and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In recent years, the Republican Party began tilting more and more to the right, becoming excessively conservative and destroying the party’s stature. As Governor of the State of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney had earned a reputation of a political moderate, yet in order to become the Republican Presidential candidate, he increasingly adopted the party’s extreme right positions on domestic and international issues, which will only benefit the wealthy class while destabilizing the international arena.

Four years ago, Barack Obama took the helm of the Country from his predecessor George W. Bush, inheriting a downward spiraling shattered economy, as well as two long lasting wars. President Barack Obama took control. He regained stability by passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus). Obama followed this with “The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010” (cutting taxes and giving business incentives). Obama rescued the U.S. automotive industry, its suppliers and created 1 million jobs. We have now experienced 30 consecutive months of private job growth with 4.6 million jobs created, despite Republican obstruction within Congress. President Obama realizes there is still a long way to go in order to return to the economic climate before the economic meltdown, as well as restoring the people’s trust in the future.

On healthcare and social security issues, President Obama spearheaded new laws which have and will mitigate the effects of the economic downturn on the middle and lower class. Forty million Americans who do not have health insurance will possess the opportunity to gain health insurance in 2013.

Using his constitutional authority, President Obama signed an executive order establishing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, changing the country’s immigration policy by halting the deportation of at least 800,000 youth (and it could be as high as over a million) to a country they never knew, having been brought here by their parents as children.

As for his foreign policy, President Obama maintained his promise to withdraw American troops from Iraq, putting an end to a war which caused the needless deaths of thousands. The draw down of troops within the Afghanistan war is also progressing as scheduled. In the case of Iran, President Obama withstood calls from the Republican circles to utilize force as a means of deterrent, rather cooperating with European nations and bringing the world community together to force the Iranian government to stop moving towards the development of a nuclear weapons system by imposing further sanctions .

In the fight against international terrorism, President Obama recorded many successes. Through President Obama’s direction, many “Al Qaeda” leaders, chief among them Osama bin Laden, have been annihilated, significantly weakening the terror organization.

In terms of Armenian related issues, President Obama’s Administration promoted the development of democracy and human rights in the Republic of Armenia. In terms of the Artsakh conflict, the Obama Administration has been critical of Azerbaijan’s warlike rhetoric and continues to defend the necessity to solve the issue through peaceful means.

For Armenian Americans, a main source of concern remains the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. While addressing the Turkish parliament, President Obama, inferring towards the Armenian Genocide, called on Turkey to come to terms with its own history. The President faltered on his commitment towards properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide when he used the Armenian term for the Armenian Genocide “Medz Yeghern.” Although this demonstrates a step closer to acknowledging the reality that is the Armenian Genocide than previous U.S. Presidents in recent history, this has also frustrated Armenian Americans especially when the President has stated that his personal views in support of Armenian Genocide recognition remained unchanged.

Yet as Armenian Americans with concerns for the welfare of our ethnic brethren in the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh, the volatile Middle East, as well as our youth and elderly within the United States and the lack of experience and interest towards Armenian American issues by the Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, the Armenian Council of America – PAC believes the domestic and international policies held by the current Obama Administration are better suited for the future of Armenian Americans and Armenians worldwide.

Considering all this and the fact that Mitt Romney is completely negligent on Armenian American issues, the Armenian Council of America – PAC directs all Armenian American voters on November 6 to vote for President Barrack Obama.

YEREVAN (Reuters) — Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has accused Azerbaijan of preparing for war over Nagorno-Karabakh.
In an interview in Yerevan with the Reuters news agency, Sarkisian said Azerbaijan’s government has been acquiring what he called a “horrendous quantity” of arms to prepare for new fighting.
“Now, 18 years after the signing of this cease-fire agreement, Azerbaijan threatens us with a new war,” Sarkisian said.
Sarkisian accused Azerbaijanis of having hatred toward Armenians and a “general xenophobia.” He said, however, that Armenia still hopes for a negotiated settlement that would end the conflict between the neighboring Caucasus states peacefully.
“When I say that there is hatred towards Armenians, a general xenophobia in Azerbaijan; when I say there is a dangerous accumulation of armaments in Azerbaijan; when I say Azerbaijan is getting prepared for resuming military hostilities and settling the conflict by military means, that doesn’t mean at all that there is no need to continue with negotiations,” Sarkisian said.
Ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan were recently aggravated after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned a soldier who had been sentenced to life in prison in Hungary for murdering an Armenian officer in 2004.
The officer was pardoned immediately after he was sent back to Azerbaijan from imprisonment in Hungary.
In the interview, Sarkisian said the pardon of the Azerbaijani officer showed Nagorno-Karabakh — a region of about 160,000 people — could never be part of Azerbaijan.
Asked if he was confident he would see a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, Sarkissian said: “I’m confident.”
“At least I hope that I will never see Nagorno-Karabakh incorporated in the Azerbaijani framework again and that in itself is a huge success,” he said.

TBILISI — Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire leader of opposition alliance that has won Georgia’s parliamentary elections, has raised eyebrows in Armenia after reportedly questioning the existence of a sizable Armenian community in his country.
Ivanishvili, who is expected to become prime minister, was quoted as making disparaging comments in an interview with the Russian online journal “Novoye Vremya” (New Times) published on Friday.
Asked about the reasons for his return to Georgia about a decade ago and eventual involvement in politics, the French national said, “We, Georgians, are so strange – we are attached to our land. This is our character. There are, for example, Armenians living here. I’m amazed that their homeland is next door but they live here.”
“You probably have no such questions. But for me that’s not comprehensible,” he added, according to the publication.
Official Yerevan was quick to signal its discontent with these remarks through a senior lawmaker affiliated with the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. Artak Zakarian, chairman of the Armenian parliament’s committee on foreign relations, said they are “at least bewildering” and compared them to the ultranationalist rhetoric of Georgia’s first President Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
“One can only express hope that this was a slip of the tongue by the leader of a political force that won the elections with pledges to promote the European value system and strengthen democracy,” Zakarian said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian made no direct mention of the apparent gaffe in what was Armenia’s first official reaction to the Georgian elections and their surprise outcome. But he did stress that “Georgia is home to thousands of Georgian Armenians who are an important factor strengthening our friendship.”
“We have managed to build a mutually beneficial inter-state relationship with Georgia based on mutual respect and we hope that we will continue our joint efforts to further strengthen our friendly cooperation,” Nalbandian said in written comments to ArmNews television. He also expressed confidence that the “free and competitive” elections will foster continued reforms in Georgia.
The comments attributed to Ivanishvili prompted “deep concern” from a Georgian non-governmental organization that claims to represent the country’s Armenian and other ethnic minorities. In a statement, the group called Multiethnic Georgia said they contradicted Ivanishvili’s pre-election statements and demanded an explanation from the leader of the Georgian Dream alliance.
Ivanishvili reacted to the unfolding uproar later in the day. He said that the Russian publication did not present his full answer to the question and thus “completely distorted the context.”
“In response to the journalist’s questions, I emphasized that I admire the unique ability of Armenians and Jews to be citizens of the world, to be successful wherever they live and to have a strong Diaspora,” the 56-year-old tycoon wrote on his Facebook page. “We Georgians, however, are such amazing people that unfortunately we have not managed to settle anywhere else and create a strong Diaspora. This was the basic context of my answer.”
“I want to emphasize that Georgia is a multiethnic country and the homeland of all peoples living here,” Ivanishvili said.

The Armenian Council of America – Political Action Committee announces the following endorsements for the California State Assembly in the upcoming November 6th general election.

Kristin Olsen for the 12th Assembly District

Kristin Olsen was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2010 and served as Republican Whip in the California State Assembly. As a former Modesto City Councilwoman, Kristin Olsen established a close relationship with the local Armenian American community. Olsen is currently the Vice Chair of the Higher Education and is a member of the Agriculture and Insurance Committees. As a rising star within the Republican Party reelecting Assemblymember Olsen will be beneficial to Armenian American issues.

The new 12th Assembly District includes Calaveras, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne counties, and parts of Madera, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties

Khatchik H. Achadjian for the 35th Assembly District

K.H. “Katcho” Achadjian is a current Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing the 33rd district. He was first elected on November 2, 2010. From 1998 to 2010 he was supervisor for San Luis Obispo County. He was also chair of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors in 2001 and 2006. Mr. Achadjian has also been a successful business owner since 1978.

An ethnic Armenian born in Lebanon, Mr. Achadjian graduated from Cuesta Community College, and went on to graduate from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.

His 12 years of representing the South County on the Board of Supervisors, served Achadjian well in building a reputation as a responsive, hard-working and energetic Assemblymember who put the needs of the State above ideological considerations.

The new 35th Assembly District includes parts of San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and the communities of Guadalupe, Lompoc, and Santa Maria.

Raul Bocanegra for the 39th Assembly District

As an educator, community leader, legislative advocate, and board member of various non-profit organizations, Raul Bocanegra has been active in the communities he wishes to represent in the State Assembly. This activism is what led Mr. Bocanegra in becoming the top aide to former Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla, and later chief of staff to California State Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes. This activism is also where Mr. Bocanegra has acquainted himself with Armenian American issues and befriended representatives of the Armenian American community.

As an academic (Mr. Bocanegra is a former college instructor at Cal State Long Beach, current instructor at Cal State Northridge) and first time candidate with experience in state and local government, Raul Bocanegra will bring new solutions and be a strong new voice for the North East San Fernando Valley in the State Assembly.

The new 39th Assembly District includes the communities of Pacoima, San Fernando, Arleta, Mission Hills, Sylmar, North Hollywood, Lake View Terrace, Northeast Granada Hills, Sunland-Tujunga, and Sun Valley.

Christopher Holden for the 41st Assembly District

Chris Holden is a public servant, small business owner and lifelong resident of Pasadena, California. Christopher Holden is also a former Mayor of Pasadena, serving from 1997 to 1999, and a council member since 1989.

Under his leadership, the city created its first living wage ordinance, which ensured that workers could earn decent pay for their hard work and contribute to the local economy. Holden’s other accomplishments include, charter reform through which the City Council created the position of elected Mayor and compensation for Councilmembers, Utility Deregulation, and redevelopment of the City’s civic center.

As Mayor, and Councilmember, Mr. Holden has established deep ties with the Armenian American community in Pasadena and as the Assemblymember from the 41st Assembly district has pledged to continue that tradition.

The new 41st Assembly District includes South Pasadena, Pasadena, East Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, San Antonio Heights and Rancho Cucamonga.

Mike Gatto for the 43rd Assembly District

Mike Gatto was elected to the California State Assembly in 2010 and served as Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore. Prior to the Assembly Mr. Gatto volunteered as well as served on numerous non-profit boards that aimed to help the local community. He has also worked within the Los Angeles City Council as well as becoming District Director and acting Chief of Staff to Congressman Brad Sherman. During this period Mr. Gatto established a close relationship with the local Armenian American community and familiarized himself on Armenian American causes.

As a key member of the Democratic State Legislature, Mr. Gatto has had an active first term, guiding numerous bills to law. Chief among them for Armenian Americans was Assembly Bill 173 (AB 173). AB 173 extended the deadline for the families of victims of the Armenian Genocide to file claims against insurance companies who previously denied victims claims to December 31, 2016.

As a rising star within California’s Democratic Party reelecting Assemblymember Gatto will be beneficial to Armenian American issues.

The 43rd Assembly District includes the communities of Glendale, Burbank, La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge and the Los Angeles communities of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood and Toluca Lake.

Adrin Nazarian for the 46th Assembly District

Adrin Nazarian is an Armenian American with deep rooted knowledge of the political and legislative process as well as the communities which he wishes to represent. Adrin Nazarian grew up in the San Fernando Valley, attending high school there before receiving his degree in Economics from UCLA in 1996.
Mr. Nazarian is currently the chief-of-staff to L.A. City Councilmember Paul Krekorian, who represents the communities of Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, North Hollywood and Valley Glen. Previously, Mr. Nazarian served as chief-of-staff to then-Assistant Majority Leader Paul Krekorian in the California State Legislature. His experience also includes working as a governmental and political aide to Congressman Brad Sherman and Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge.

As a State Assemblymember, Mr. Nazarian’s hefty experience within the State and local political system as well as his roots within the San Fernando Valley and the Armenian community will be beneficial to Armenian American issues.

The new 46th Assembly District includes the Los Angeles neighborhoods of North Hollywood, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Valley Glen, Van Nuys, Panorama City, North Hills, Lake Balboa and the Hollywood Hills.

Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to join the previous speakers in congratulating Vuk Jeremic on his election as the President of the 67th Session of the General Assembly. I would also like to extend our thanks to the outgoing President, Nasser Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
This session of the General Assembly is an invaluable opportunity to bring together the United Nations member states in order to examine the challenges facing humanity and to join efforts to effectively address them and to realize internationally agreed goals. We all know that when decisions are based on common understanding, their implementation and success are more promising.
Armenia has committed itself to the strengthening of the institutional capacities of the United Nations. We support the United Nations reform processes and are ready to bring our feasible contribution to them. We believe that the reforms are an opportunity to make the role of the UN stronger on crucial issues facing the world and to accomplish both the Millennium Development and Sustainable Development Goals.
We welcome the fact that along with the agenda of the sixty-seventh session that encompasses the pressing issues of joint responsibility for maintenance of international peace, security, it is proposed to focus during this session on the settlement of disputes by peaceful means.
In this context we consider the goals of disarmament and arms control as major elements of global and regional security systems. We must also shoulder the responsibility to work together to counter militaristic threats.
Few days ago, in the framework of the UN the first-ever High-Level Forum on Culture of Peace took place urging for tolerance and building mutual understanding and mutual respect. Unfortunately nowadays hate and intolerance are continuing to spread in some parts of the world and we have yet to dig into the roots and causes of such situation, to have the courage to openly ask difficult questions on the reasons and face sometimes painful responses.
Mr. President,
Regrettably, we have witnessed intolerance and hatred in our part of the world, too. Year after year Armenia has been raising its concerns from this podium over the militaristic rhetoric, blatant violation of international commitments and anti-Armenian hysteria being instilled into the Azerbaijani society from the highest levels of its leadership.
Many international organizations on human rights alerted about flagrant cases of xenophobia, racism, intolerance and violations of human rights in Azerbaijan, alerted on the policy of hatred against Armenians.
What is the Azerbaijani response? It is not only ignoring the expectations of the international community, but is constantly making new and new steps going against the values of civilized world. The latest such case is the Azeri government’s release and glorification of the murderer Safarov, who had slaughtered with an axe an Armenian officer in his sleep, during a NATO program in Budapest simply because he was an Armenian. The Azerbaijani leadership made him a symbol of national pride and an example to follow by youth. The world reaction was unanimous and very clear in condemning what was done by Baku. Azerbaijan expresses bewilderment on the stance of the international community. And what did they expect? That the international community would applaud the glorification of a heinous murderer? Azerbaijani leadership is continuing to pretend that this act corresponds not only to the Azerbaijani constitution and legislation, but also to the norms and principles of international law, the respective European Convention. The leadership of this country is claiming that what was done is just very good. It is very sad that the constitution and legislation of any country could allow the heroization of a murderer and salary payment for the years passed in prison by brutal criminal.
The Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights warned that “to glorify and reward such a person flies in the face of all accepted standards for human rights protection and rule of law”. The European Parliament President and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe President alerted about the abuse of the European legal instrument. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that “ethnically motivated hate crimes of this gravity should be deplored and properly punished – not publicly glorified”.
It is very clear that there are different perceptions about international legal principles and laws, different perceptions in Azerbaijan and the rest of the world about what is good and what is bad. This is deeply irresponsible and shameful behavior of not only a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, but a member of the UN.
It is clear that international community should not tolerate the attempts of the Azerbaijani leadership to adjust the international law to their own racist ideology. Having a rich internal experience in corruption Baku is attempting to transfer it to interstate relations exploiting it as a tool to impose its own misperceptions on others. The international community could not tolerate the attempts of Azerbaijan to replace the rule of law with the rule of oil.
Safarov’s scandalous affair has seriously undermined the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process and endangered the fragile regional security and stability.
Azerbaijan poses a threat to the security and stability in the region by its constantly menacing to use force against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia along with unprovoked daily war-mongering by its leadership, by not only rejecting the proposals of the three Co-Chair countries on the consolidation of the ceasefire agreement, on the creation of a mechanism of investigation of incidents on the line of contact, but also by systematic ceasefire violations not only on the contact line between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, but also by provocations on the border with Armenia, by ceaseless acts of vandalism towards the Armenian historical and cultural heritage.
While Armenia together with the international mediators is exerting efforts around the table of negotiations, Azerbaijan is multiplying its military budget, increasing it more than twentyfold during the last few years, and boasting about it. While Armenia and the international community are calling for withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact, Azerbaijani leaders are rejecting it and opening sniper schools for the youth. While Armenia is calling for regional economic cooperation, which could become a tool for increasing confidence between the parties, Azerbaijani authorities are declaring that together with Turkey, they will continue the blockade until there are no more Armenians in Armenia.
Armenia and the international community are speaking in one language regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. The documents on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict adopted in the frameworks of the OSCE Astana Summit of 2010 and Ministerial Conferences of Helsinki 2008, Athens 2009, Almaty 2010, Vilnius 2011, the statements of Presidents of the Co-Chair countries in the frameworks of the G8 Summits in L’Aquila in 2009, in Muskoka in 2010, in Deauville in 2011 and during the G20 Summit 2012 in Los Cabos are proofs of that. Armenia’s position is in line with these documents, is in line with the position of the international community – to go for the settlement on this basis.
Despite the intensive efforts of the three Co-Chair countries it has been impossible to reach a breakthrough in the conflict resolution, because the Azerbaijani side rejected one after another all proposals presented by the mediators.
Regardless of Azerbaijan’s destructive stance, Armenia will continue to exert efforts towards the settlement of the Karabakh issue exclusively through peaceful means and on the basis of the purposes, principles and norms reflected in the UN Charter and the international law.
Mr. President,
As many speakers, I should also express our concerns about the developments and worsening of the humanitarian situation in Syria, which directly affects also the large Armenian community in this country. This community was formed mainly by the survivors of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century. Today they are struggling for life as many Syrian citizens. Armenia is continuing to receive refugees from Syria that are full of worries about the escalation of violence in this country. It is impossible to reach a durable settlement without the cessation of hostilities by all parties and without an inclusive political dialogue taking into account the interests of all Syrians.
Mr. President,
The United Nations will mark the 65th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide next year. That anniversary will become an important landmark to make it more effective instrument in combatting the crimes of genocide. The denial of genocide and impunity pave way for the repetition of new crimes against humanity. As descendants of the nation that survived the horrors of the first genocide of the 20th century we are convinced that independent of any kind of considerations, the international community should stand together in the recognition and strong condemnation of genocides to be able to prevent them. It is due to the absence of this unanimity that humanity witnesses new attempts of crimes against humanity. Our strong conviction is that we should keep this issue high on our common agenda. We should recommit ourselves to a world where the crime of genocide would never occur again.
Mr. President,
Armenia shares its part of our common responsibility to support the United Nations as the stage of dialogue, multilateralism and collective action to address the multiple challenges of today’s world.

Armenian professional boxer Vic Darchinyan kept his career alive with a 10-round unanimous decision over undefeated junior featherweight prospect Luis Orlando Del Valleo to capture the NABF super bantamweight title. The scores were 99-91, 99-91 and 96-94.
This was an all action fight that showcased a vintage “Raging Bull” who controlled the majority of the action by occasionally out-boxing and frequently out brawling Del Valle who seemed unable to handle on the awkward style and craftiness of Darchinyan. The 36-year-old veteran outlanded the Puerto Rican standout in power punches in every round, but Del Valle never stopped trying to win, which made for an entertaining fight.
“I’m back,” Darchinyan exuded. “I feel good at this weight; I feel strong. I worked very hard. He’s a tough kid. I just felt I was in a different class than him.”

BUDAPEST (RFE/RL) — Hungary’s relations with the United States have been seriously damaged by the repatriation of an Azerbaijani army officer jailed for axe-murdering an Armenian colleague in Budapest, according to a senior Hungarian government official.
Zsolt Nemeth, the state secretary at the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, acknowledged a “serious bilateral loss of confidence” with the U.S. in a Thursday interview with the “Nepszabadsag” daily cited by the Hungarian MTI news agency. That, he said, is the result of a “fundamental misunderstanding” between the two NATO allies.
A senior U.S. administration official told RFE/RL last week that the State Department is continuing to express “dismay and disappointment” with Ramil Safarov’s August 31 extradition from Hungary to Azerbaijan and his immediate pardoning by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon said Washington is “not satisfied” with official explanations given by Budapest and Baku.
The extradition has also been criticized by some pro-Armenian members of the U.S. Congress. One of them, Senator Robert Menendez, said on September 6 that the Hungarian government “must now demand the return of Safarov to complete his life-sentence.”
The U.S. criticism reflects a serious blow that has been dealt by the Safarov case to international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. U.S., Russian and French diplomats spearheading those efforts cited that “damage” in a recent joint statement that denounced the convicted axe-killer’s release.
The mediators had planned to arrange fresh talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in New York on the sidelines of this week’s session of the UN General Assembly. The Armenian side is understood to have refused those talks in protest against a hero’s welcome given to Safarov in Baku. The two ministers held only separate meetings with the mediating troika.
Armenia maintains that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government knew that Safarov will be set free on his return home when it cut a secret “deal” with Baku earlier this year. Yerevan suspended diplomatic relations with Budapest immediately after the extradition.
Nemeth assured the Hungarian newspaper that Orban’s government has received “no direct compensation of any kind” from Baku in return for Safarov’s extradition. He also said that Budapest will make “every effort” to normalize relations with Armenia and believes this can be done in the next few months.
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry urged Yerevan to restore diplomatic ties “without precondition” in a note sent on Monday. The Armenian Foreign Ministry rejected the offer, saying that it expects unspecified “practical and clear steps” from Budapest.
A Hungarian Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected the Armenian “preconditions” on Wednesday. “There is not much else we can do now,” he said, according to an MTI report cited by Politics.hu.

Armenia Will Continue Efforts Towards Resolution of the Karabakh Conflict

LOS ANGELES — On September 24 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian delivered a speech on Armenia’s foreign policy at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. The event was attended by diplomats accredited inLos Angeles, political scientists, representatives of the Department of State, journalists.
In his speech Minister Nalbandian referred to the main directions ofArmenia’s Foreign Policy, the Armenian-American relations and Armenia’s efforts in that direction.
Presenting the main directions of Armenia’s foreign policy, Minister Nalbandian said Armenia is conducting a multi-vector policy. “The deepening of relations with countries of the north and south and the diversification of the spheres of cooperation are among the important objectives of our foreign policy. When building relations with our partners, we are guided by the principles of reciprocity, trust, good will and respect for each other’s interests. These principles lie in the basis of our strategic relations with Russia, our close partnership with the United States, our active cooperation with the European Union, as well as the firm relations with a number of partner countries,” Minister Nalbandian said.
Referring to the Armenian-American relations, the Foreign Minister noted that the United Stateshas been rendering support to Armenia in the course of the past twenty years, and the humanitarian aid has gradually grown into mutually beneficial cooperation.
“We hope that the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations will open wider opportunities for the development of our bilateral relations,” he said.
Edward Nalbandian presented the current state of the negotiations on the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In this context he underlined that “Armenia shares the position of the international community that the issue should be solved exceptionally in a peaceful way.”
“Azerbaijan constantly endangers the regional stability with its threats of use of force, bellicose statements, increase of its military budget, provocations at the line of contact, ceasefire violations, systematic demonstration of vandalism against the Armenian cultural monuments and propaganda of hatred against Armenian,” Minister Nalbandian said.
“Despite the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the course of the past four years, it has been impossible to reach a breakthrough in the settlement process, as the Azerbaijani side has been turning down all proposals submitted by the mediators,” the Minister said.
“Azerbaijan not only ignores the calls of the international community, but also takes new steps, which grossly violate the values of the civilized world. The most recent example was the release and glorification of murderer Safarov, which shocked the international community.”
“There is no international organization, no state, for which Azerbaijan’s step would be acceptable. The reaction of the international community was unequivocal – a severe condemnation of Baku’s step. No less shocking was the response of Azerbaijan to the approaches of the international community; Baku insists that all it did, it did correctly,” Minister Nalbandian said.
“The shameful deal on Safarov caused a serious damage to the process of settlement of the Karabakh issue, as well as the efforts targeted at the reinforcement of regional security and stability. This is another step by Azerbaijan to frustrate the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs,” Edward Nalbandian stated.
“Despite the non-constructive steps of Azerbaijan, Armenia will continue its efforts towards the settlement of the Karabakh issue exceptionally through peaceful means on the basis of the objectives incorporated in the UN Charter and the principles and norms of international law,” Edward Nalbandian concluded.

WASHINGTON, DC (RFE/RL) — The United States is “not satisfied” with explanations from Azerbaijan and Hungary concerning the pardoning of an Azerbaijani officer who brutally murdered an Armenian soldier at a NATO seminar in Budapest eight years ago.
Philip Gordon, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, told RFE/RL at the Center for European Policy Analysis’ U.S.-Central Europe Strategy Forum on September 20 that Washington continues to express “dismay and disappointment” to Budapest about its decision to release Ramil Safarov to Baku.
He said Washington is sending the same message to Azerbaijan’s government, which pardoned Safarov and then promoted him after his August 31 return to the country.
“We were appalled by the glorification that we heard in some quarters of somebody who was convicted of murder,” Gordon said. He called the case “a real provocation in the region.”
The U.S. administration already expressed “deep concern” immediately after Safarov’s release from a Hungarian prison where he was serving a life sentence for hacking to death Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian. President Barack Obama said through a spokesman that it was “contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions.” The State Department was likewise “extremely troubled” by the development, demanding an explanation from the Hungarian government.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns conveyed these concerns to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in a phone call on September 2. Mammadyarov reportedly told Burns that Baku is “bewildered” by the U.S. criticism.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has strongly defended his decision to pardon and promote the axe-killer, saying that it conformed to international and Azerbaijani laws.
For their part, the Hungarian authorities and Prime Minister Viktor Orban in particular insist on the legality of Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan. Official Budapest says Baku had assured it that the officer will serve the rest of his jail term in an Azerbaijani prison.
Armenia, which suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary on August 31, has shrugged off these assurances. Armenian officials say that Orban’s government knew that Safarov will be set free on his return home when it cut a secret “deal” with Baku earlier this year.
Gordon’s comments suggest that Washington too does not consider the Hungarian arguments convincing.
The European Union, by contrast, has avoided blaming Hungary, an EU member state, and aimed its public criticism of Safarov’s release only at the Azerbaijani side.

LOS ANGELES — Edward Nalbandian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, will speak before the Los Angeles World Affairs Council at a time of heightened tension in the southern Caucasus between Armenia and its neighbor Azerbaijan. The lecture titled “Armenia in a troubled region” will be held on Monday September 24, 2012 7.30 p, at the InterContinental Hotel, 2151 Ave. of the Stars
The conflict between land-locked Armenia and oil-rich Azerbaijan was exacerbated recently when an Azeri army officer was convicted of hacking to death an Armenian on a NATO course – and was subsequently given a hero’s welcome on his return to Azerbaijan. In addition to this immediate threat, the Foreign Minister will talk about his country’s relations with NATO, Russia and Iran, and its difficulties in normalizing relations with Turkey. And he will address Armenia’s relations with the United States, and the influence Washington can bring to bear on the volatile region of the southern Caucasus.
Foreign Minister Nalbandian’s career as a diplomat began in the embassy of the former Soviet Union in Lebanon in 1982. After Armenia’s independence from the USSR he served as the Ambassador of Armenia to Egypt, France, Israel and the Vatican before taking up his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2008.

http://www.lawac.org/Default.aspx?tabid=103&eventid=30102

BUDAPEST — The national council of ethnic Armenians in Hungary plans to file a legal claim against the Hungarian government’s controversial decision to transfer convicted Azeri murderer Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan, Blikk reported. The tabloid quoted council head Szevan Sarkisian as saying the charges include abuse of power and bribery.
There are an estimated 3,500 to 30,000 ethnic Armenians living in Hungary, half of whom speak Armenian as their native language, and there are currently 31 Armenian “self-governments” operating in the country.
Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani army officer who was serving a life sentence in Hungary for axing to death Armenian Lt. Gurgen Margaryan, was extradited to Azerbaijan and pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Official Yerevan reacted by suspending diplomatic ties with Hungary.
Hungary, however, states that it had sent Safarov back to Azerbaijan after receiving assurances from the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry that Safarov’s sentence, which included the possibility of parole after 25 years, would be enforced.
According to some reports, Safarov was extradited to Azerbaijan in exchange for Azeri purchase of Hungarian securities worth Euro 2-3 billion, an information official Budapest denies.
“Hungarian prime minister is “morally bankrupt” and should resign after admitting that he personally approved the transfer of the Azeri axe murderer while knowing the likely consequences,” the leader of the opposition Socialists said earlier.
Attila Mesterhazy said it was clear from Orban’s comments at a news conference on Tuesday September 11 that he had been aware that Azerbaijan would release the life-sentenced Ramil Safarov after his repatriation.

YEREVAN — The secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said on Tuesday that its recently established rapid reaction force is already capable of repelling an armed aggression against Armenia and other members of the Russian-led security pact.
“The Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) is one of the main components that can effectively react to any challenges involving the use of force,” said Nikolay Bordyuzha. “Since those forces comprise army units that means a localization of armed conflicts, that means a quick closure of borders in case the situation escalates.”
Nikolay Bordyuzha spoke to journalists at the Marshal Bagramian training ground 40 kilometers west of Yerevan where about 2,000 CORF soldiers representing Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia held military exercises for the fourth consecutive day.
“We are talking about a collective security system,” Bordyuzha said. “It is built upon on a collective potential. That collective potential is now in Armenia and jointly accomplishing tasks. We are thereby learning to act together in case the situation becomes quite tense.”
The CORF forces on Monday simulated a joint operation against “irregular armed groups” that invaded a CSTO member state. The CSTO command praised the “high degree of coordination” among them.
The CSTO united commander Major General Anatoly Yakovlev told a press conference Saturday, when the drills started, that the exercises were aimed to improve CSTO member states’ administrative bodies and the participating troops would train in use of drones. In response to RFE/RL’s question whether there are any possible scenarios developed should there be aggression against any of the member-states and how rapidly CSTO can react, Yakovlev said that joint defense will be the case.
“In each such event (largely depending on the circumstances) leaders of CSTO member-states will decide on the numerical strength of the Collective Operational Reaction Forces,” he stated.

NEW YORK — In a judgement dated September 5, 2012, the U.S. Southern District Court of New York ordered the U.S. Marshall of the same district to seize $37,537,978 from Vardan Ayvazyan to be paid to Global Gold Mining LLC.
Vardan Ayvazyan, a former RA Minister of the Environment, had been sued by Global Gold for exerting undue pressure on one of its subsidiaries that was the license holder for the Hankavan mine in Armenia.
In 2006, a subsidiary of the Company which was the license holder for the Hankavan property was the subject of corrupt and improper demands and threats from the now former Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Armenia, Vardan Ayvazyan. The Company reported this situation to the appropriate authorities in Armenia and in the United States; eventually, the Company lost control of the Hankavan property as a result of Ayvazyan.
The Company engaged international and local counsel to pursue prosecution of the illegal and corrupt practices directed against the subsidiary. On November 7, 2006, the Company initiated the thirty-day good faith negotiating period (which is a prerequisite to filing for international arbitration under the applicable 2003 Share Purchase Agreement) with the three named sellers/shareholders and one previously undisclosed shareholder and the principal directing the other shareholders, Ayvazyan.
The Company filed for arbitration under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Paris, France (‘ICC’) on December 29, 2006. On June 25, 2008, the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Ayvazyan was required to appear as a respondent in the ICC arbitration.
On September 5, 2008, the ICC International Court of Arbitration ruled that Ayvazyan shall be a party in accordance with the decision rendered on June 25, 2008 by the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subsequently, in December 2011 the ICC Tribunal decided to proceed only with the three named shareholders; in March 2012, GGM filed an action in Federal District Court pursuant to that Court’s prior decisions for damages against Ayvazyan and/or to conform the ICC Tribunal to the precedents. Based on the evidence of the damages suffered as a result of Ayvazyan’s actions, the final $37,537,978.02 federal court judgment in favor of GGM is comprised of $27,152,244.50 in compensatory damages plus $10,385,734.52 of interest at 9% from 2008.
The Company has notified the ICC that the pending arbitration against the other three shareholders should be terminated as moot, considering the final judgment against Ayvazyan.
This new decision will probably not impact Ayvazyan since the United State and Armenia have no treaties regarding the seizure of assets.
The only practical implication is tat Ayvazyan will be barred from entering the States.
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Global Gold Mining is Van Krikorian, a member of Armenian Assembly of America Board of Trustees

YEREVAN — About 2,000 soldiers from Russia and five other former Soviet republics will begin on Saturday five-day military exercises in Armenia within the framework of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The troops are mostly special army units making up a rapid reaction force that was set up by the CSTO member states at Moscow’s initiative in 2009. The creation of the Collective Operational Reaction Forces (CORF) was meant to strengthen the defense alliance of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The exercises will take place at the Armenian army’s Baghramian training center about 40 kilometers west of Yerevan. The army has prepared the facility for the drills for the past several months. The CSTO secretary general, Nikolay Bordyuzha, discussed those preparations with senior Armenian military officials when he visited Armenia in June.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said on Friday that the exercises are part of the CSTO’s efforts to create a “common security environment.” “With these exercises, we will also help to boost the combat capacity and equipment of the rapid reaction force and raise the interoperability of its units,” he told journalists.
The CSTO secretariat in Moscow said in a statement that the participating troops will practice “the use of forces and means of collective security in the Caucasus region.” It said the exercises will be monitored by representatives of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Military ties with Russia, in both the bilateral and CSTO frameworks, remain a key element of Armenia’s national security doctrine. In particular, membership of the CSTO entitles the South Caucasus country to receiving Russian weapons and military hardware at knockdown prices or even free of charge.
Bordyuzha announced late last year that Moscow plans to equip Armenian and other units of the CORF with modern weaponry. He also pointed to growing cooperation between the Russian and Armenian defense industries, which is also part of Moscow’s efforts to bolster the CSTO.

BRUSSELS — The European Parliament condemned Azerbaijan late on Thursday for pardoning and giving a hero’s welcome to the Azerbaijani army officer who axed to death an Armenian colleague in Hungary more than eight years ago.
In a special resolution, the European Union’s legislative body said President Ilham Aliyev’s decision to free, promote and financially reward Ramil Safarov immediately after his extradition from Hungary “could contribute to further escalation of the tensions” between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The resolution accuses Aliyev’s government of reneging on “diplomatic assurances” that Safarov will serve out his life sentence, given by a Hungarian court in 2006, in Azerbaijan. It cites in this regard a letter sent by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Justice Minister Vilayat Zahirov, to the Hungarian government on August 15, two weeks before the convict’s repatriation.
The Azerbaijani and Hungarian governments say the handover was carried out on the basis of the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
EU lawmakers did not challenge these assertions or fault the Hungarian government for repatriating Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian’s axe-murderer, aiming their criticism only at Baku. They said that Safarov’s pardoning “complies with the letter” of the convention but “runs contrary to the spirit of that international agreement.”
Their resolution goes on to deplore “the promotion and recognition [Safarov] has received from the Azerbaijani state.” It adds that “the frustration in Azerbaijan and Armenia over the lack of any substantial progress as regards the peace process in Nagorno-Karabakh does not justify either acts of revenge or futile provocations that add further tension to an already tense and fragile situation.”
The European Parliament further called on the EU to play a “stronger role” in the Karabakh peace process by supporting confidence-building measures between the conflicting parties.

Below is the text of the resolution:
The European Parliament,
-having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Azerbaijan on 5 May 2012, in particular those concerning human rights,
-having regard to the established practice of the international law regarding transfer, the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, which co-operation was agreed in order to further the ends of justice and the social rehabilitation of sentenced persons, by giving them the opportunity to serve their sentences within their own society,
-having regard to the statement (of 3 September 2012) by the spokespersons of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Štefan Füle on the release of Ramil Safarov,
-having regard to various statements and communications of the Hungarian Government Authorities in which they gave explicit assurances that Hungary acted in accordance with the international law, obligations and good practices,
-having regard to Rules 122(5) and 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Azerbaijan is an elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2012 for two years, as well as the member of the Council of Europe in which it will assume the Presidency of the Committee of the Ministers in 2014;
B. whereas the Azerbaijani citizen Ramil Safarov have been given to a life sentence for the brutal murder of an Armenian soldier, Gurgen Markarian, which he committed during his stay at the military academy in Budapest in 2004, where both attended the English-language courses organised by NATO,
C. whereas Ramil Safarov has requested – pursuant to the 1983 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons – his transfer to Azerbaijan in order to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan,
D. whereas the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, to which Hungary and Azerbaijan are both signatory parties, states in article 9. that a person sentenced in the territory of one state may be transferred to the territory of another in order to serve the sentence imposed on him, provided that conditions laid by the Convention are met,
E. whereas the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Vilayat Zahirov, sent an official letter to the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice of Hungary on 15 August 2012, in which he stated that the execution of the court’s decisions of the foreign states regarding the transfer of sentenced persons to serve the remaining part of their prison sentences in the Republic of Azerbaijan are carried out in accordance with Article 9 paragraph 1 point a) of the Convention and without any conversion of the court’s sentence. He further gave an assurance that according to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan the punishment of a convict who is serving a life sentence could only be replaced by a court with an imprisonment for defined period or could be released on conditional parole, only after at least 25 years of the prison have been served,
F. whereas immediately upon the transfer of Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Ramil Safarov in line with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and article 12 of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, to which no reference was made in the letter noted in paragraph E,
G. whereas the presidential pardon given in such a short time questions the original motives of the demand for the transfer of Ramil Safarov, is not in line of the letter of the Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Justice, Vilayat Zahirov, of 15 August 2012, and undermines the objective of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons which provides for the conditions to serve the remaining of the sentence in different state;
H. whereas Ramil Safarov, after his release from prison, was promoted to the rank of major, was given an apartment and all the pay he had lost since his arrest, and was accorded popular recognition throughout the country,
I. whereas the Republic of Armenia has suspended its diplomatic ties with Hungary on 31 August 2012,
1. Deplores the decision by the President of Azerbaijan to grant pardon to Ramil Safarov, regarded by some as a gesture that could contribute to further escalation of the tensions and widens the feelings of injustice that have arisen from the unresolved conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh, and expresses its hope that the President of Azerbaijan and the President of Armenia will refrain from acts that do not contribute to the reconciliation between the states of the Southern Caucasus;
2. Is concerned about the publicity given to Ramil Safarov, sentenced murderer, upon his arrival in Azerbaijan, its impact of this as an example for future generations and the promotion and recognition he received from the Azerbaijani state; and is further concerned that this act threatens all peaceful reconciliation processes within the societies affected, undermines future possibilities of the evolvement of a peaceful people-to-people contact in the region,
3. Notes that in 2001 Armenia gave a free pardon to Varoujan Garabedian, sentenced to life imprisonment by France in 1985 for terrorism, on his transfer to Armenia,
4. Recalls that overemotional responses, emotional acts from the Armenian side are not contributing to a peaceful solution in the long term, therefore calls for calm,
5. Encourages the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia to strengthen their efforts for the reconciliation between the two nations and the region;
6. Recalls its position that the Association Agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan, currently being negotiated, should include clauses and benchmarks on the protection and promotion of human rights,
7. Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to step up its efforts to reform all aspects of the judicial system on the basis of the rule of law: prosecution, trial, sentencing, detention and appeals;
8. Calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to comply with all rulings of the European Court on Human Rights concerning Azerbaijan;9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the EEAS, the Governments and Parliaments of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the EU Member States.

ALEPPO — Four Syrians Armenians were killed and at least 11 others wounded near Aleppo airport on Tuesday night shortly after the latest flight from Yerevan to Syria’s commercial capital.
Syrian Armenian sources said on Wednesday that three of them — Harut Suvarian, Mesrop Ajemian and Hrach Pepejian — were returning home from the airport after a trip to Armenia. The other victim, Pepejian’s father Arsen, was said to have gone to the airport to collect his son.
“The wounded persons were taken to the French hospital in Aleppo and their condition is now good,” Raffi Tashjian, a Syrian Armenian man based in Yerevan, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am), citing his contacts in Aleppo.
A spokesman for Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, Tigran Balayan suggested that the Armenians were shot by Syrian rebels. “The main road stretching from the airport was closed and they had to go home through another way where they appeared under fire of rebels,” Tigran Balayan said.
However, an unnamed friend of victims told the AFP news agency, “It’s not obvious who opened fire, but the result is that five cars were attacked and four Armenians were killed and 13 or 14 others were wounded.”
He said one of those killed “had left his family behind in Armenia, his wife and kids. He had gone back to take care of some things in Aleppo and then return.”
The deadly incident occurred amid fighting between Syrian government troops and rebels reported in the Nayrab area, around five kilometers (three miles) from Aleppo airport. It raised to at least 19 the total number of ethnic Armenians that are known to have been killed in Syria’s bloody civil strife so far.
Around 150 Syrian Armenians arrived in Yerevan on board a Syrian Air commercial jet on Tuesday evening. The plane took about 100 others back to Aleppo.
Both Syrian Air and Armenia’s Armavia national airline continue to carry out regular flights between the two cities despite the worsening security situation. Armavia resumed its weekly flight service on Monday after a one-week pause which it attributed to the FSA’s reported threats to shoot down aircraft entering the country.
Some of the newly arrived passengers at Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport said on Tuesday that gun battles are moving closer to Aleppo’s Armenian-populated neighborhoods. “Things are getting worse now,” one man told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “But we still hope that they will improve.”

BUDAPEST (Reuters) — Hungary knew its decision to hand convicted killer Ramil Safarov over to his native Azerbaijan would spark a diplomatic backlash from Armenia, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday.
Budapest released Safarov to Azerbaijan last month where Azeri President Ilham Aliyev pardoned him on arrival.
Orban was asked at a news conference about a report by news portal origo.hu, which said the prime minister had taken the decision despite being warned about the risks of such a move.
Orban was warned by colleagues in his party about the risks and consequences of such a step, however, he decided to proceed with it with the expectation of getting loan credits from Azerbaijan to balance the deficit in the Hungarian budget.
“There was coordination within the entire government about this,” Orban said. “Each ministry presented its opinion, the justice ministry about the legal side and the foreign ministry about the diplomatic consequences.”
Orban said he had then announced the decision personally in line with general procedure. “The foreign ministry had forecast precisely what types of consequences this or the other decision may have. Nothing happened after our decision that we would not have reckoned with in advance,” he added.
Hungary has said its actions were consistent with international law and that Azerbaijan had promised to uphold Safarov’s sentence. While the two countries were in talks about developing closer economic ties, these were in no way linked to the release of the soldier, the Hungarian government has said.

SOFIA — Bulgaria continued their impressive start to World Cup qualifying with a bad-tempered victory at home to nine-man Armenia.
Stanislav Manolev’s close-range finish settled an untidy game in which the hosts’ Svetoslav Dyakov and Armenia’s Marcos Pizelli and Gevorg Ghazaryan were sent off all in the space of four second-half minutes.
The win built on Bulgaria’s opening draw with Italy and gave them four points from two games in Group B, while Armenia have now won one and lost one.
Armenia were the first to threaten after a slow start to the game, Ghazaryan seeing his effort saved by Nikolay Mihailov in the Bulgaria goal.
At the other end Ivan Ivanov headed an outswinging corner from Vladimir Gadzhev wide of the left post shortly before the half-hour mark.
The visitors almost went ahead out of the blue in the 43rd minute when Henrikh Mkhitaryan fired a shot from the edge of the area against a post.
Instead Bulgaria took the lead barely a minute later as Ivelin Popov’s pass inside the area picked out Manolev, who shot high into the net.
Veselin Minev had an effort saved by Roman Berezovsky just after the break as the hosts threatened again before the visitors lost their cool completely.
In a 73rd-minute Pizelli and Dyakov were sent off for violent conduct. Four minutes later Ghazaryan was dismissed too, and with his departure went Armenia’s chances as Bulgaria claimed a first competitive win since 2010.

ISTANBUL — The grandson of Cemal Pasha, one of the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide, Hasan Cemal has published a book entitled ‘1915: the Armenian Genocide.’
The news was first reported by Istanbul-based Agos weekly and confirmed by journalist Yavuz Baidar on Twitter.
“To reject the Genocide means to be a part of the crime against humanity. Moreover, the pain of 1915 is not history, it is an up to date question,” he claims.
The first chapter of the book describes how Hasan Cemal got to know about the 1915 events, furthermore, he touches upon the murder of Hrant Dink. The second chapter describes what the author though about the 1915 events and how he came to change his opinion. The third chapter dwells on one of the organizers of the genocide Cemal Pacha, who was his grandfather.
“Armenians in Turkey were Russia-oriented and Turks had to kill them. That’s why the Genocide happened,” Hasan Cemal quotes his grandfather as saying in Munich in 1919.
Cemal is columnist at Milliyet newspaper. In 2008, he visited the Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan. His note in the memory book says: “To deny the Genocide would mean to be an accomplice in this crime against humanity.”
Ahmed Cemal Pasha was killed in Tbilisi in July 1922 by Stepan Dzaghigian, Artashes Gevorgyan and Petros Ter Poghosyan as part of Operation Nemesis for his role in the Armenian Genocide. His remains were brought to Erzerum and buried there.

AKHTAMAR, LAKE VAN — Around 2,000 Armenians reportedly attended on Sunday a mass at the Holy Cross Church of Akhtamar Island on Lake Van in southeastern Turkey for the third time since its government-funded renovation in 2007.
The pilgrims were ferried to the tiny Akhtamar island on Lake Van, the site of the 10th century church of Surp Khach (Holy Cross)
Archbishop Aram Atessian, the acting spiritual leader of Turkey’s small Armenian community, presided over the mass. The Devine Liturgy was offered by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of Armenian Church of America (Eastern). During the mass, the faithful also prayed for those who lost their lives as a result of the ongoing developments in Syria and the devastating earthquake in Van. Only a few dozen faithful were able to watch the service inside the church, the rest following proceedings from outside, AFP said, citing the Anatolia news agency.
In addition, and following the Holy Liturgy, two children from Armenia were baptized at the Church, and Armenia’s “Akunk” Folk Dance Ensemble performed outside the church.

Built between 915 and 921, the Akhtamar church is one of the few surviving examples of the ancient Armenian civilization in what is now eastern Turkey. Hundreds of Armenian churches built there since the early Middle Ages were destroyed, ransacked or turned into mosques during and after the Armenian Genocide in 1915.
Turkish authorities repaired the church between 2005 and 2007, which then opened as a museum. Mass was celebrated there for the first time in 95 years in 2010. According to the Turkish tourism ministry, the church attracted nearly 30,000 visitors in 2010, and similar number in 2011.

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ISTANBUL — Armenia has won the World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul after finishing on top in the competition of 150 nations. This is the third Olympic gold won by Armenia in chess.
In the last round of the Olympiad Armenia was matched against Hungary. Levon Aronian secured a perpetual against Peter Leko, and the other games continued.
After the time control Gabriel Sargissian drew the rook endgame against Ferenc Berkes, and Sergei Movsesian scored a crucial victory against Zoltan Almasi. Eventually Vladimir Akopian held Judit Polgar to a draw to mark the start of huge celebration for Armenian gold medal.
Russia defeated Germany 3-1, but fell behind Armenia on tiebreak. China lost its match against Ukraine 3-1. Russia came second, Ukraine finished third.
Armenia had previously won the 2006 and 2008 Olympiads. Next Olympiad will be held in 2014 in Tromso, Norway.

Team Armenia – GM Tigran Petrosian, GM Gabriel Sargissian, GM Vladmir Akopian, GM Sergei Movsesian, GM Levon Aronian and team coach Arshak Petrosian

Armenian Tricolor Raised and National Anthem Played in Istanbul
The closing ceremony of the 40-th Chess Olympiad took place on September 9 in the hall of the WOW Hotel in Istanbul where Olympiad winners Armenia were honored for their superior achievement.
The Turkish organizers of the 40th World Chess Olympiad raised the Armenian flag and played the Armenian anthem as the Armenian men’s team stood on the podium having accepted the trophy from FIDE President Kirlan Ilyumzhinov.
GMs Levon Aronian, Sergei Movsesian, Vladimir Akopian, Gabriel Sargissian, Tigran Petrosian and their coach Arshak Petrosyan are in for more glorification once they are back home where their win Sunday night also sparked celebrations.
Aronian and Akopian also took gold and silver medals, respectively, for their individual performances on boards #1 and #3.
Aronian shared his joy with fans through his Twitter account.
“We won the Olympiad !! So proud to be a part of a team like this! Hurray hurray hurray! Armenia rules !!!!” the Armenian chess ace wrote.
Armenia’s women’s chess team, meanwhile, finished sixth among 126 competing nations. They were only 11th at the Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, two years ago.

Juliet Minassian, the only Armenian American delegate from California at the Democratic Party National Convention with former Whitehouse Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

As the Glendale News-Press reports “With hundreds of delegates and alternates in attendance, the California delegation to the Democratic National Convention takes up a big piece of real estate inside Time Warner Cable Arena. Sitting enthusiastically among them Wednesday night was delegate Juliet Minassian of Glendale, attending her first political convention.

“The convention is very educational,” said Minassian, who came to Glendale from Iran about 15 years ago. “You can learn very much, and I have been thrilled to see all these people in here. For me it’s more than I imagined.”

Minassian, 50, a self-employed accountant, said she is the only Armenian-American in the state delegation, but is hopeful she can get others from her community involved.” (Read More)

BUDAPEST — Several thousand Hungarians protested in Budapest on Tuesday against their government’s decision to allow convicted Azeri killer Ramil Safarov to return home, leading to heightened tensions between Armenian and Azerbaijan.
The Hungarian government claims that it repatriated Safarov after receiving official Azerbaijani assurances that the military officer will serve the rest of his life sentence in an Azerbaijani prison.
Protesters chanting “We are sorry, Armenia” said they doubted the government’s motives, adding that whatever the reasons, the decision was unacceptable.
“Murderers should not be extradited to countries where it is clear that ethnic hate crimes are considered heroism,” said protester Laszlo Muhari, 30. “In a democratic country this is not acceptable.”
“(Prime Minister Viktor) Orban should stop lying and start giving clear answers, because it is simply impossible that such a brutal killer is just released without a background deal.”

PARIS/MOSCOW/BRUSSELS — International mediators from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Monday that Azerbaijan’s decision to pardon Ramil Safarov had damaged the peace process in the region.
Safarov was given a hero’s welcome in Azerbaijan, where thousands of people took to the streets to greet him in his native city, Sumgait. The government promoted him to the rank of major and paid his salary for the eight years he was in custody.
The international mediators, including representatives of the United States, Russia and France, met with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan after the pardon threatened to inflame tensions.
The mediators “expressed their deep concern and regret for the damage the pardon and any attempts to glorify the crime have done to the peace process and trust between the sides,” the group said in a statement.

Russia Deplores
Russia deplored on Monday a pardon granted by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov, saying that it will complicate a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Unlike the United States and the European Union, Moscow also explicitly slammed Hungary for extraditing the convicted murderer.
“We believe that these actions by the Azerbaijani as well as Hungarian authorities run counter to efforts agreed upon at the international level and within the OSCE Minsk Group framework in the first instance and aimed at reducing tension in the region,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said in a statement.
Nikolay Bordyuzha, secretary general of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian-led military alliance of six ex-Soviet states, denounced Safarov’s release from prison in stronger terms. He said the move “runs counter to the norms of international law and calls into question the viability of the inter-state system of countering crime.”
“Nothing can justify this step taken for parochial political purposes,” Bordyuzha said in a statement. “Moreover, turning the criminal into a hero will only help to heighten the already high tension in the region.”

European Union Criticizes Azerbaijan
The European Union on Monday criticized Azerbaijan for freeing Safarov. “We are concerned by the news that the president of Azerbaijan pardoned Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of an Armenian army officer in 2004,” Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told a news briefing in Brussels.
“We are closely following the situation and are in contact with relevant sides to obtain more information,” said Kocijancic. “We are particularly concerned with the possible impact that these developments might have on the wider region, and therefore we call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise restraint on the ground and in public statements in order to prevent any kind of escalation of this situation.”
The official stopped short of criticizing EU member state Hungary’s decision to extradite Safarov to Azerbaijan, which has been strongly condemned by Armenia. She said only that the EU leaders in Brussels are now “in touch with the Hungarian authorities.”
“This is an exchange of information. But of course this is an ongoing story, and it’s possible that there will also be an exchange of information at the EU level,” Kocijancic said. Brussels-based representatives of EU member states might discuss the matter at a meeting slated for Tuesday, she added.
Ashton’s spokeswoman avoided commenting on Armenia’s decision to suspend diplomatic relations with Hungary in response to what Yerevan sees as a secret deal on Safarov’s extradition

LOS ANGELES — The Armenian General Benevolent Union Asbeds each year hosts a much anticipated event entitled “Evening with a Scholar”, inviting renowned figures to address socially and politically relevant issues.
This year’s event has already generated great interest as the Asbeds have invited distinguished U.S. diplomat and former Ambassador to Syria and to Israel, The Honorable Edward Djerejian, to address an issue that has captivated the attention of the world and is of special significance to the Armenian people. The honorable guest will lecture on the current crisis in the Middle East, its implications and potential solutions in a talk entitled, “The Arab Awakening, the Turkish Role in the Region and the Future of Armenians in the Middle East”.
The event will be held on Friday, October 5, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center(2495 East Mountain Street Pasadena, CA 91104).
The AGBU Asbeds are privileged to host such a high-profile figure as Ambassador Djerejian who, with his vast diplomatic knowledge and expertise, has contributed significantly to the pursuit of peace and human rights in the Middle East, all the while having in consideration our national interestsin the region. With this special annual event, the AGBU Asbeds aims to enrich the Armenian community by hosting such influential individuals who with their words and actions have fought for and continue to fight to make the world a better place, beginning with human rights for all.
Ambassador Edward Djerejian has had an extensive and highly impressive diplomatic career spanning eight U.S. administrations from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton (1962-1994). Prior to being appointed Ambassador to Israel by President Bill Clinton (1993-1994), he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton (1991-1993). From 1989-1991 Djerejian served as Ambassador to Syria, and from 1986-1988 was Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and Deputy Press Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Upon his retirement from diplomatic duties, Ambassador Djerejian became Founding Director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University (1994 – present). In 2011 he was named to the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Corporation in New York, whose illustrious president is Vartan Gregorian
Through his work at the Baker Institute, which has established itself as one of the leading nonpartisan public policy think tanks in the country, Ambassador Djerejian has met with prominent world leaders and former U.S. presidents, among them Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, Helmut Kohl, Kofi Annan, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
He is the author of the book Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador’s Journey through the Middle East (Simon & Schuster, Threshold Editions, September 2008, Paperback edition 2009).
Ambassador Djerejian has been awarded the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award, the President’s Meritorious Service Award, the Anti-Defamation League’s Moral Statesman Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Association of Rice Alumni 2009 Gold Medal – the highest honor bestowed by the ARA in recognition of extraordinary service to the university. In 2011, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and independent policy research centers.
Ambassador Djerejian has played a key role in the Arab-Israeli peace process and regional conflict resolution, and remains a leading expert on Middle East affairs.
The AGBU Asbeds invites you all to the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena on Friday, October 5, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. to personally hear what is expected to be an extraordinarily enlightening lecture at a period in time when the future of the Arab world and our national concerns collide in a state of uncertainty. As a leading authority in the affairs of the Middle East, Ambassador Djerejian is quite possibly one of a select few individuals who can most accurately address the current situation in the Middle East and provide clarification and explanations on this intricate subject. Please join the AGBU Asbeds on October 5 at what will no doubt be yet another successful “Evening with a Scholar”.

The Armenian Branch of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party issued a statement condemning the extradition and subsequent pardon of the convicted Azeri murderer Ramil Safarov.

Safarov had been serving a prison sentence in Hungary, where he had killed an Armenian officer while both were attending a training course at a military academy in the capital, Budapest, in 2004. The Azeri soldier, without any regret, confessed that he had hacked the Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan to death and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004. Yet On Friday, August 31st the Hungarian government repatriated the Azerbaijani military officer to Azerbaijan where he was immediately pardoned and set free by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. This prompted Armenia to cut diplomatic ties with Hungary, accusing it of having struck a deal to secure energy.

In a statement the party says: “The decision of the Hungarian authorities to repatriate the Azeri murderer and terrorist to Azerbaijan is worthy of contempt. Hungary, which considers itself to be a devotee to the European values and the protection of human rights, agreed to transfer a murderer throwing a challenge to the whole civilized world and proving that Azerbaijani dollars are more important than justice.”

The Hunchakian Party welcomes the decision of the Armenian authorities to suspend diplomatic relations with Hungary, and expresses the hope that the process does not stop and Safarov receives punishment either in Budapest or at home in Baku . The fact of praise and glorification of murderers in Azerbaijan demonstrates the Armenophobic, genocidal and fascist atmosphere that reigns today in Azerbaijan.

The party is confident that organizations throughout Diaspora will take action to make the international community give an adequate assessment of “Hungary’s treacherous behavior and Azerbaijani fascist policy,” The statement concluded expressing “The hour of retribution is close …”

ISTANBUL — Two-time Olympiad Champion Armenia defeated defending champions Ukraine 2.5-1.5, with Aronian scoring against Ivanchuk. The Victory moved Armenia to the top of table with maximum 10 points after five matches.
Russian men also stayed undefeated after beating Hungary 2.5-1.5. Croatia and Azerbaijan are on the heels of the leader with nine match points while Indian men remain in the joint fifth spot on eight points.
In earlier rounds Armenian beat Bolivia 3-1, Bangladesh 4-0, Spain 2.5-1.5 and Philippines 2.5-1.5

BUDAPEST — The opposition factions of the Hungarian parliament demand the government to present the reasons for the extradition of Ramil Safarov. Some of them have also demanded the Minister of Justice of Hungary to step down according to Armenpress report.
The chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Socialist Party, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary László Kovács also demanded the Hungarian parliament to have an extraordinary session to discuss the decision of the Hungarian government to extradite Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan.
“The members of Orban government bear responsibility for the pressure that is being applied on Hungary by the international community”, Kovács mentioned stating that the extradition of an Azerbaijani national who killed Armenian officer had triggered huge international pressure. He also demands Hungarian government to present the reasons for the extradition of Safarov. László Kovács, who served as the European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, considers that one of the reasons for the extradition may have been the purchase of Hungarian state bonds by Azerbaijan, that’s to say big money played their role.
Hunagrian Socialist Party is the biggest party in the country’s parliament with 48 members in a parliament with 300 members.
Hungarian opposition “Democratic coalition” party demanded the resignation of Hungarian Minister of Justice and also to set the extraordinary session of the parliament. This left-centrist party is headed by former prime-minister Ferenc Gyrcsány. It was established in 2010 as a part of the Hungarian Socialist Party, but later in 2011, these two parties separated creating distinct parties and fractions in the parliament. This part has 10 members in the Hungarian parliament.
Besides, Hungarian LMP opposition party blamed the government for getting into financial deals with Azerbaijan.

BAKU — Ramil Safarov was promoted to the rank of major and received hefty material benefits from Azerbaijan’s government on Saturday one day after being released from a Hungarian prison.
News reports from Baku said Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev announced the promotion when he received Safarov, in his office. Abiyev wished the 35-year-old future success in his military career.
Abiyev went on to thank President Ilham Aliyev for granting Safarov a pardon immediately after the latter’s controversial repatriation from Hungary, where he served a life sentence for hacking to death Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian during a NATO training course in 2004.
According to the Trend news agency, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has also decided to provide Markarian’s confessed killer with a free apartment and pay his wages accumulated during his more than eight-year imprisonment.
Armenia denounced Safarov’s promotion and rewards. A spokesman for the Defense Ministry in Yerevan, Artsrun Hovannisian, said they demonstrated that “the Azerbaijani leadership is also in a sick mental state.” Hovannisian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that Baku is thus turning “the brutal murderer of a sleeping person” into a role model for Azerbaijani army officers.
Safarov received a hero’s welcome and described his release as a “triumph of justice” on his return to Azerbaijan. “I am ready to continue my military service,” he was reported to tell journalists in Baku.

YEREVAN — Hundreds of people protested outside the Hungarian consulate in Yerevan on Saturday after Budapest sent convicted murderer Ramil Safarov back to his native Azerbaijan, where he was pardoned. The protest was jointly organized by “Sargis Tkhruni” student union of Social Democratic Hunchakian Party and “Hayazn”
The demonstrators burned the Hungarian flag and threw eggs, tomatoes and coins, accusing Budapest of doing a deal with Baku in order to profit from Azerbaijan’s energy riches.
“The Hungarians have sold their honor and conscience to the Azerbaijanis like a common prostitute,” protest organizer Armen Mkrtchian told AFP.
The protesters held slogans of “Shame”, “Death to the enemy” and “Hungary is a sold country”.

Hungarian national armenologist Sigmund Benedek also participated in the protest, he issued the following statement: “I am asking for forgiveness from the whole Armenian nation as well as from the family of Gurgen Margaryan. I consider such behavior of Hungarian Government as immoral against Armenian nation. Gurgen Margaryan was murdered in result of crime committed against ethnic identity. Extradition of Safarov is the great mistake of Hungarian diplomacy: I will be the ambassador of Armenian opinion in Hungary” mentioned Hungarian armenologist asking not to put parallels between Hungarian nation and authorities.
“Hungarian nation is near Armenians and Armenia” he summarized.

WASHINGTON, DC — President Barack Obama has expressed his  “deeply concern” over Azerbaijan’s pardon of convicted soldier Ramil Safarov who axed Armenian lieutenant, Gurgen Markarian  to death, the White House said Friday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued an order that killer Ramil Safarov “should be freed from the term of his punishment” directly after he arrived earlier on a plane from Budapest, where he had been serving a life sentence for the 2004 murder.

“President Obama is deeply concerned by today’s announcement that the president of Azerbaijan has pardoned Ramil Safarov following his return from Hungary,” said National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.

“We are communicating to Azerbaijani authorities our disappointment about the decision to pardon Safarov,” Vietor added in a statement.

“This action is contrary to ongoing efforts to reduce regional tensions and promote reconciliation. The United States is also requesting an explanation from Hungary regarding its decision to transfer Safarov to Azerbaijan.”

US State Department Statement

The State Department also reacted to the pardon of Safarov.  In a press statement  Patrick Ventrell, Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of Press Relations said, “The United States is extremely troubled by the news that the President of Azerbaijan pardoned Azerbaijani army officer Ramil Safarov, who returned to Baku today following his transfer from Hungary. Mr. Safarov had been serving a life sentence in a Hungarian jail for murdering Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan during a 2004 NATO training event in Budapest.

We are expressing our deep concern to Azerbaijan regarding this action and seeking an explanation. We are also seeking further details from Hungary regarding the decision to transfer Mr. Safarov to Azerbaijan.

We condemn any action that fuels regional tensions”.

Rep. Schiff Statement on Azerbaijan’s Decision to Pardon Ramil Safarov

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) released the following statement: ”I was deeply disturbed to learn of the repatriation and subsequent pardoning of Ramil Safarov, who was convicted of killing Armenian Army officer Gurgen Margaryan. Hungary, where Safarov was supposed to be serving a life sentence, and Azerbaijan owe the international community an expanantion for this terrible subversion of justice. This is an appalling result in the case of a confessed killer.”

YEREVAN –Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary on Friday, furiously condemning the NATO and European Union member state for effectively freeing the convicted Azerbaijani killer of an Armenian army officer.

President Serzh Sarkisian announced the decision at a meeting with the Yerevan-based ambassadors of foreign states and representatives of international organizations. It followed an emergency session of Armenia’s National Security Council that discussed implications of Ramil Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan and a pardon immediately granted to him By President Ilham Aliyev.

“With these joint actions, Hungary’s and Azerbaijan’s authorities have cleared the way for a repeat of such crimes,” Sarkisian told the foreign envoys. “They are sending a message to murderers. They [murderers] know now that a murder committed on the basis of religious or ethnic hatred can go unpunished.”

“I can not tolerate that,” he said. “The Republic of Armenia can not tolerate that. The Armenian people will not forgive that.”

“I am officially declaring that today we are suspending diplomatic relations and all official contacts with Hungary,” he added.

Armenia and Hungary have no embassies in each other’s capitals. The Armenian ambassador to the Central European state is based in Vienna. Turkey has until now been the only NATO member state with which Yerevan has no formal diplomatic ties.

Sarkisian  stated that official Budapest simply cut a secret deal with the Azerbaijani government after having repeatedly assured Yerevan that the Azerbaijani army lieutenant will remain behind bars in Hungary. He said officials at the Hungarian Foreign Ministry and parliament reiterated those assurances “during contacts in recent days.”
Sarkisian went to urge the international community to respond to the development with “clear and unequivocal actions.” “Half-measures and empty talk are not acceptable,” he warned. “We will judge the attitude of our partners towards the security of the Armenian people by their response to this incident.”

The warning seemed primarily addressed to Western powers. Sarkisian noted that after Lieutenant Gurgen Markarian was axe-murdered by Safarov during a NATO training course in Budapest in 2004 they were “continually urging us to refrain from politicizing that process.” “We were continually urged to trust the judiciary of Hungary, a member of that important alliance,” he said.

The Armenian leader did not specify whether he expects NATO and the EU to also explicitly condemn the Hungarian government. Sarkisian has boosted Yerevan’s ties with both Western structures since coming to power in 2008.

The president spoke of implications of Safarov’s release for the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict when he addressed his National Security Council earlier in the day. He ordered Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian to put Armenian army units on a higher state of alert and said he will give the head of the National Security Service, Gorik Hakobian, an unspecified “special assignment.”

Sarkisian said he has also told Armenian diplomatic missions abroad as well as Armenian Diaspora groups to launch public relations campaigns. “The Hungarian authorities must understand that they have committed a serious blunder,” he said.

BUDAPEST — Hungary has repatriated an Azerbaijani military officer who was sentenced to life imprisonment for hacking to death an Armenian lieutenant while attending a NATO training course in Budapest in 2004.

Azerbaijani news agencies reported that Ramil Safarov was pardoned and set free by President Ilham Aliyev on Friday immediately after being extradited to Azerbaijan. It was not immediately clear which Hungarian state body ordered the extradition and on what grounds.

A Hungarian court convicted Safarov, now aged 35, in 2006 of murdering a 26-year-old Armenian lieutenant, Gurgen Markarian, in a “premeditated, malicious and an unusually cruel” way by nearly decapitating him with axe in February 2004 while the victim slept in a dormitory used by participants in a NATO language course.

Safarov was also found guilty of planning the murder of another Armenian, which he did not carry out. He was supposed to be eligible for parole in 30 years.

“Compassion and remorse were completely missing from [Safarov's] testimony,” the judge in the case, Andras Vaskuti, said upon announcing the verdict that was subsequently upheld by an appeals court in Budapest.

Safarov said during his trial that the unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh was at the root of his act. He also claimed that the Armenian officer had repeatedly provoked and ridiculed him.

Safarov was reported to thank Aliyev for the “humane act” on his return to Baku. “This is a triumph of justice,” he told the APA news agency. “It was somewhat unexpected to me.”

“I hail the entire Azerbaijani people,” he said, according to the official AzerTaj news agency. “I express deep gratitude for the attention and care shown towards myself and my family members during all these years.”

Official Baku, meanwhile, praised the Hungarian authorities for effectively freeing Safarov. “The Azerbaijani side has worked in that direction for a while, and we highly appreciate the Hungarian side’s cooperation on this issue,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev told the Trend news agency.

Predictably, Safavor’s release sparked outrage in Armenia where many people had attributed Markarian’s brutal murder to anti-Armenian hysteria fanned by the Baku government. Eduard Sharmazanov, the spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), condemned the development, saying that the Hungarian side knew that Markarian’s murderer will walk free if repatriated.

In a written statement, Sharmazanov also described the pardon granted by Aliyev as “appalling.” He said it “once again proved that a policy of anti-Armenian fascism is implemented at the state level in Azerbaijan.”

ISTANBUL — The 40th World Chess Olympiad began on Tuesday at the Istanbul Expo Center with the games of the first round.
158 teams compete in the Open Section, while the Women Section has 124 teams participating.
The Armenian men’s chess team defeated Bolivia’s team by 3:1 in the first round of World Chess Olympiad. Armenia’s Sergei Movsesian was defeated by his opponent Oswaldo Zambrano. Movsesian’s mistake in the 46th move was fatal and the Armenian GM had to admit his defeat in the 51st move. In other matches, Vladimir Akopian defeated Jose Daniel Gemi, Gabriel Sargissian defeated Jonny Cueto and Tigran Petrosian defeated Boris Ferrufino.

DAMASCUS — According to the Armenian Diocese in Damascus three Armenians were killed in one of the city’s districts on Tuesday, Aug 28.
The killed Armenians were identified as Bedros Matosian, born in 1963, Kevork Matosian, born in 1966 and Levon Matosian, born in 1990. The circumstances of their death was not clear.
Currently, the Diocese representatives are trying to get bodies out of the battle zone.
Also on Tuesday and explosion took place near the entrance of Jaramana cemetery during a funeral killing tens of people and wounding others.
Jaramana is a Christian-populated district of Damascus where some 400 Armenians reside

BERLIN — Arthur Abraham is the new world WBO super middleweight champion after his unanimous win over Robert Stieglitz.
Abraham, 32, who defended his IBF middleweight title 10 times between 2005 and 2009, is now the world champion at the heavier weight after the judges scored the fight 116-112, 116-112, 115-113 on Saturday.
“This is an emotional moment for me and it’s hard to describe how I feel,” said Abraham.
“I always wanted to be the middleweight world champion and now I am the super middleweight champion too.
“I trained hard for this and I had to box cleverly against such a good champion.”
Abraham lived up to his ‘King Arthur’ moniker and the new champion now has a record of 27 knock-outs in 35 wins and three defeats.
Having laboured to a points win over Piotr Wilczewski to defend his European WBO title in March, Abraham was back to the best fighting for the world title.
Abraham started the stronger of the pair, but the champion twice pinned the challenger to the ropes in the second and started to exert his authority.
Stieglitz raised the tempo in the third and Abraham fell clearly behind on points going into the fourth, but responded with some body-head combinations and one sharp hook left Stieglitz with swelling above his left eye.
By the fifth, Stieglitz’s face was marking noticeably while Abraham started to let his guard drop to lure the champion as he landed some punishing shots.
Stieglitz put together some good combinations in the seventh round and kept up his impressive work-rate, despite a cut above his right eye needing the attention of the ring doctor in the 10th.

Abraham raised his fists to the Berlin crowd in early celebration before the start of the 12 and finished clearly ahead on points as Stieglitz, 31, suffered the third defeat of his career in his 45th fight.
Next for Abraham is a match-up with the winner of WBA super-middleweight champion Felix Sturm and IBF middleweight title-holder Daniel Geale fight.

PARIS — The French Education Ministry has decided to include chapters about the Armenian genocide in history and geography books used in French secondary schools. French students studying world history since 1910 will also read a chapter called “The Armenian Genocide.”
The chapter in the textbooks is devoted to giving detailed information on the Armenian genocide, which will explain in detail of the genocide, ethnic structure of the Ottoman Empire, rule of Talat Pasha and policies of nationalist Turks and purported exiles. The chapter will also include the numbers of Armenians who were killed, exiled or sent to death.
The author of the new textbook Valerie Perthue, suggested the pupils to draw a new glance to the history and examine a number of historical events, which are usual not included in European school curriculum. The authors also included French history controversial episodes, particularly the facts revealing cooperation established between French officials , Marshal Peten and Hitler in the course of Fascist Germany occupation. Algeria colonization by France as well as decolonization processes are widely discussed in the new textbooks.

YEREVAN — Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister of Israel, Yuli-Yoel Edelstein laid a wreathe at the genocide memorial on Yerevan’s Tsitsernakabert hill during what was the second trip to Armenia by an Israeli government member in four months. Agriculture Minister Orit Noked visited Yerevan and paid her respects to genocide victims in April.
“The Armenian Genocide is widely recognized in Israel”, the minister said after visiting the genocide memorial, he also drew parallels between the Jewish Holocaust and the Armenians Genocide of the 20th century.
“True, there is no state law [in Israel recognizing the genocide,]” Edelstein told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “But I think that in Israel, in view of … our common history and some similar elements and moments, you will hardly find people who will deny the genocide, who will say, like we unfortunately hear, that all this is fabrications and lies.”
“So I think that unfortunately — I stress, unfortunately — in this area our peoples have quite a lot in common, quite a lot for mutual understanding,” he said.
Citing the strategic character of Israel’s relationship with Turkey, successive Israeli governments have resisted domestic calls for Armenian genocide recognition. An Israeli Foreign Ministry official reaffirmed this stance during landmark hearings on the issue that were organized by an Israeli parliament committee last December.
Support for Armenian genocide recognition appears to have grown within the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, and the government since 2010. Some observers link that to Israel’s worsened relations with Turkey, which vehemently denies the genocide.
Israel’s Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly called for the Jewish state to “formally recognize the Holocaust perpetrated against the Armenian people” during further Knesset discussions on the sensitive issue in June. Erdan acknowledged that the Israeli government has not changed its policy yet.
Edelstein arrived in Armenia to attend, together with Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian, an event marking the 20th anniversary of an organization representing the country’s small Jewish community. He also held separate talks with Poghosian.
“When it comes to cultural exchanges, there are benefits to both sides involved,” Edelstein told RFE/RL’s Armenian service. “That is why I hope this is not just a visit but perhaps also a change to some different phase in at least cultural ties between us.”
“I am sure that such meetings and contacts will continue and we will turn our relations from being just good and normal to relations that will fully realize the potential for cooperation between our countries,” added the Ukrainian-born minister.

Two ethnic Armenians have been killed in Syria’s Damascus and Aleppo during the recent days as a result of clashes between Syria’s governmental forces and rebels.
Arsen Ghshpoladian, 38, was wounded during Saturday morning clashes in the vicinity of the Armenian cemetery of Damascus’ Bab Sharkgh district. Ghshpoladian was transferred to hospital, but the doctors were unable to save his life.
In Aleppo clashes between governmental forces and opposition groups near Armenian districts has claimed the life of 76-year-old woman Adelina Khacherian.
Another Syrian-Armenian, Mesrob Chinchinian was injured as a result of a bomb blast. He has undergone an operation and is recovering.
The frontlines in Aleppo have reportedly moved closer to the city’s Armenian-populated districts in recent days. A video footage that recently appeared on Facebook features Syrian oppositionists saying that a district in Aleppo is now under their occupation.
According the report, the Cilician Armenian College and the Armenian National Prelacy are situated a short distance from the district called Jdayde.
No one from Aleppo’s Armenian community could be reached for comment, with the mobile and landline telephony and the Internet being unavailable in the city for already a week.

YEREVAN — Armenia will provide about 60 million drams ($146,000) worth of humanitarian assistance to victims of the powerful weekend earthquake in neighboring Iran, the government said on Thursday.
Government officials said the relief aid approved by Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s cabinet will include tents, blankets, portable beds, sleeping bags, canned food and drinking water.
“We have discussed with our Iranian colleagues the list of necessary goods that they need the most and will ascertain the list in the next two days,” Sarkisian told ministers. “We will also organize within two days the shipment of those goods to Iran.”
“I suppose that we can deliver the aid tomorrow evening or the following morning at the latest,” Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations Haykaram Mkhitarian told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
The Armenian government also offered to send rescue teams immediately after the 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Iran on Saturday, killing more than 300 people and injuring 3,000 others. Officials in Yerevan say the Iranian side did not accept that offer.
The government did not approve or discuss any help to residents of Armenian towns and villages close to the Iranian border whose houses were damaged by the disaster. An RFE/RL correspondent witnessed some of that damage in one of those villages, Varhavar, on Wednesday. Most of its residents have stayed and slept outdoors since Saturday, fearing another earthquake that could cause greater devastation. They complained that no officials from the central government and the regional administration has visited them so far.
The village mayor, Suren Arakelian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that officials from the administration of Syunik province finally visited the impoverished community and promised assistance on Thursday.
“They examined all houses and drew up corresponding protocols,” Arakelian said. “They said nothing about figures because they need to carry out calculations. They also said that there will be compensation very soon.”
According to Arakelian, the regional officials said nothing about the amount of that compensation. “Since the damage was extensive, they could not carry out immediate calculations,” he said.

During the past weeks, the 17-month conflict in Syria has escalated to dangerous proportions. Caught in the crossfire of this growing conflict are the innocent citizens of Syria, among them the large Armenian community.
The presence of Armenians in Syria dates back many centuries, and throughout that time, the community has had an important role in the Armenian Diaspora reality. Especially after the Armenian Genocide, the growing Armenian community, through its hard work and determination has created beneficial situation for nurturing families and establishing national institutions such as churches and schools, and preserving our heritage and traditions. Today, due to the current conflict, the Armenian community is facing a crisis. The Armenian community organizations in Syria, by adhering to the survivalist spirit of the Armenian people, have already mobilized to effectively and in an organized manner cater to the needs of the community.
In light of this mounting humanitarian crisis, Armenians will not remain indifferent, and will get to work to extend a helping hand and assist the Syrian-Armenian community.
The Armenian American community of Western United States is equally concerned with these developments, which impact the entire Armenian nation. Any harm inflicted upon any member of our dispersed Armenian family equally impacts the rest of the family be they in Armenia or the Diaspora. With increased resolve and conviction we must be ready to support the Syrian-Armenian population, just as we have come to aid of our brethren in Armenia, Artsakh, Lebanon and Iraq, in their time of need.
We call upon the Armenian American community of the Western United States to facilitate the needs of the Syrian Armenian community and to contribute for the preservation of the Armenian community. The Syrian Armenian community has fulfilled its centuries-old mission proudly, and today as it holds on to its home, the community is aware of its exceptional and unique role it has had in the Diaspora, which unequivocally needs to be preserved.
We hereby announce the formation of a Joint Committee in Support of the Syrian Armenian Community.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Bishop Mikayel Mouradian
Rev. Joe Matossian
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
Armenian General Benevolent Union
Armenian Relief Society
AMAA

August 15, 2012

Սուրիոյ մէջ աւելի քան 17 ամիսներու իրադարձութիւնները վերջին շաբաթներուն հասած են աղէտալի զարգացումներու ու անոնց ահաւոր հետեւանքները ծանօթ են բոլորիս£ Երկիրը զինեալ դէպքերու կրակէ օղակին մէջ բռնած կացութենէն գլխաւոր տուժողն է անմեղ բնակչութիւնը, որուն մաս կը կազմէ նաեւ հայ համայնքը:
Սուրիոյ Հայ համայնքը ունի դարաւոր պատմութիւն, եւ իր պատմական իրագործումներով, իւրայատուկ տեղ ու ներդրում ունի հայկական գաղթաշխարհի պատմութեան մէջ: Յատկապէս Ցեղասպանութենէն ետք աւելի մեծ ծաւալ ստացած այս գաղութը, հայավայել աշխատանքով ու ջանասիրութեամբ, ընդհանրապէս բարօր վիճակ կերտած է սեփական ընտանիքներու թէ ազգային կառոյցներու` եկեղեցիներու, դպրոցներու հաստատումով: Այսօր, ծանօթ իրադարձութեանց հետեւանքով, գաղութը մատնուած է տագնապալի վիճակի: Սուրիոյ մեր գաղութի կազմակերպութիւնները, հաւատարիմ` մեր ազգային նկարագիրին, արդէն նախաձեռնած են գաղութի կարիքներուն հասնելու ծրագրուած ու համադրուած հաւաքական աշխատանքին:
Ի տես ստեղծուած վիճակին, հայութիւնը չի կրնար անտարբեր մնալ, այլ կը մղուի գործի, կանգնելու համար Սուրիոյ հայութեան կողքին, պատրաստ է օգնութեան ձեռք երկարելու անոր:
Միացեալ Նահանգներու Արեւմտեան շրջանի հայութիւնը եւս մտահոգ է սուրիահայ տագնապով: Հայութեան աշխարհատարած ընտանիքին ոեւէ մէկ անդամին հասած վնաս` հաւասարապէս կը ցաւցնէ ընտանիքին բոլոր անդամները` ի Հայաստան եւ ի սփիւռս աշխարհի: Հայավայել գիտակցութեամբ պատրաստակամ ըլլանք մեր կարողութեան սահմաններուն մէջ աջակցելու մեր հայրենակիցներուն, ինչպէս որ օժանդակութեան ձեռք երկարած ենք Հայաստանին, Արցախին, Լիբանանի, Իրաքի եւ այլ տագնապահար գաղութներու:
Արդ, կոչ կþուղղենք շրջանիս հայութեան, որպէսզի ընդառաջէ Սուրիոյ հայութեան կարիքներուն եւ նուիրաբերէ ի խնդիր Սուրիոյ հայկական օճախին բարօրութեան պահպանման: Սուրիոյ Հայ գաղութը իր դարաւոր առաքելութիւնը կենսագործած է բարձրաճակատ, այսօր ալ կառչած կը մնայ իր օճախին, իրազեկ է, որ գաղթաշխարհի տարածքին ունի իր անփոխարինելի եւ անկորնչելի տեղն ու դերը, զոր պէտք է պահպանել միահամուռ կեցուածքով:
Այսու կը հաղորդենք մեր ազնիւ ժողովուրդին, որ կազմուած է “Սուրիոյ Հայութեան Զօրակցութեան Միացեալ Մարմին՚” մը:

ՅՈՎՆԱՆ ԱՐՔ. ՏԷՐՏԷՐԵԱՆ
ՄՈՒՇԵՂ ԱՐՔ. ՄԱՐՏԻՐՈՍԵԱՆ
ՄԻՔԱՅԷԼ ԵՊՍԿ. ՄՈՒՐԱՏԵԱՆ
ՎԵՐ. ՅՈՎՍԷՓ ՄԱԹՈՍԵԱՆ
Ս.Դ.Հ.Կ.
Հ.Յ.Դ.
ՌԱԿ
Հ.Բ.Ը.Մ
ՀՕՄ
ԱՄԵՐԻԿԱՅԻ ՀԱՅ ԱՒԵՏ. ԸՆԿ.
15 Օգոստոս 2012

YEREVAN — More than 100 Armenian soldiers flew to Germany on Wednesday to take part in training and exercises organized by the U.S. military for nations involved in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said the 116 soldiers will train at a U.S. military base in Germany from August 16 through September 4 alongside U.S., Bulgarian, Romanian, Slovenian and Ukrainian troops.
“The purpose of the exercises is to enhance the peacekeeping capacity and interoperability of the armed forces of participating countries,” the ministry said in a statement.
A separate statement by the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said the Armenian contingent, which is part of a special peacekeeping brigade, “will prepare for their upcoming tours in Kosovo.”
Armenia resumed its participation in NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) last month, sending a 35-strong detachment to the former Yugoslav province on board a U.S. military transport plane. The platoon was deployed at a U.S. military base near the eastern Kosovo town of Urosevac for a six-month tour of duty.
The commander of U.S. Army troops stationed in Europe, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, discussed the Armenian deployment in Kosovo when he visited Yerevan later in July. Hertling also discussed with Armenia’s top defense officials training of Armenian military personnel and their participation in multinational exercises organized by the U.S. Army in Europe.
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian earlier linked the dispatch of Armenian troops to Kosovo with Armenia’s growing military cooperation with the United States.
Ohanian discussed that cooperation with the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern, and the new American military attaché in Yerevan, Colonel Jeffrey Steemson, at a meeting later on Wednesday.

YEREVAN — Armenia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations offered the Iranian government its assistance in overcoming consequences of the devastating earthquake.
Nikolay Grigoryan, deputy head of Armenia’s rescue service, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the Armenian side is ready to lend its assistance in holding rescue operations as well, by sending rescue teams to Iran immediately after the disaster.
“The Iranian side thanked Armenia for the offer stating they do not need assistance at the moment,” Grigoryan added.
The epicenter of the Iranian earthquake was quite close to Armenia’s territory: approximately 60-65 kilometers from nearest border with Iran.
The magnitude 6.3 and 6.4 quakes struck northwestern Iran on Saturday, reportedly damaging more than 100 local villages. The tremors were also felt in Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province bordering Iran as well as other regions, including the capital Yerevan.
Thousands of people rushed out of their homes, fearing devastating aftershocks. The panic also fuelled the rumors that Armenia will be hit by a similar calamity in the coming days.
The quake killed 306 and injured over 3,000 people in East Azerbaijan province.

ALEPPO, SYRIA — Intensifying fighting in Alepo has left two Armenian resident of the besieged Syrian city dead on Tuesday and one victim wounded.
A spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry has stated that 55-year Viken Kalayjian was gunned down in the morning. The other victim was Jan Tapash. The wounded young man is Mgo, but the surname is not known yet. The victims died at 9 o’clock in the morning from gun shots near Auarde Bridge.
The latest Armenian casualties were reported amid continuing heavy fighting between Syrian government troops and rebels holed up in some parts of Aleppo. News reports said forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad tried to encircle the Salaheddine district, the rebel stronghold.
According to Reuters, mortar fire and tank shells exploded across the district early on Tuesday, forcing rebel fighters to take cover in crumbling buildings and rubble-strewn alleyways. Tanks have entered parts of Salaheddine and army snipers, using the cover of heavy bombardment, deployed on rooftops, hindering rebel movements, the news agency reported.
The clashes between government forces and rebels in Aleppo have reached Armenian-populated districts, in the evening of August 5 an explosion occurred in Abbasi district which is populated by Christians and Muslims, fortunately the Armenian community did not have victims.
Armenians of Aleppo have been advised not to come out of houses and be far from windows and open territories.
As the street battles raged on more ethnic Armenians fled Aleppo along with many other city residents. More than 100 of them arrived in Yerevan on board an Armavia plane late on Monday.

LONDON — Armenias Artur Aleksanyan won an Olympic bronze medal in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 96kg event on Tuesday. Aleksanyan’s victory over Cuban Estrada Falcon was very impressive, he scored two points in the first round and one point in the second.
Earlier Armenias Greco-Roman wrestler had defeated Turkey’s Ildem Cenk in the initial bout for the Olympic bronze.
The 2012 European champion Aleksanyan had also defeated Italy’s Daigoro Timoncini in 1/8 finals, however, he lost to Iran’s Ghasem Gholamreza Rezaei in the quarterfinals. As the Iranian representative was qualified for the final, 22-year-old Alexanyan was granted with an opportunity to fight for the bronze.
Iran’s Rezaei claimed the gold medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games in the men’s 96-kg weight class by defeating Rustam Totrov of Russian Federation in the final match.

Artur Aleksanyan against Turkey’s Ildem Cenk

NEW YORK –The ongoing and expanding militarized conflict in Syria has created a serious humanitarian crisis for the population and is threatening, among others, residential areas where concentrations of our Armenian community and institutions are situated, particularly in Aleppo, Damascus, and Kamishli. Several families have already been dislodged as a result of the fighting among government and opposition forces and the use of heavy artillery involved.
In preparation for the imminent need for humanitarian assistance that is emerging as a result of the unfolding political crisis in Syria, AGBU once again is committed to take strong action to help the Armenian community in distress, this time in Syria, reaching out to all.
The Central Board of Directors has set aside an AGBU Emergency Fund for Humanitarian Assistance to the Armenian Community in Syria, in the amount of $1M (USD one million).
A special task force, in cooperation with the District Committee of Syria, is in the process of assessing the emerging needs, to create the appropriate logistics in compliance with federal and international guidelines, to help and support our community there. Necessary arrangements are also underway in AGBU’s centers locally in Aleppo, Damascus and Kamishli, to make them operational hubs for coordinating the relief efforts, extending help to families in other locations as well, wherever the need arises. They will also be prepared to accommodate those who may have to be temporarily moved out of their homes. The possibility of making AGBU facilities in Cyprus available as temporary shelter for families, who may need to move out of the country, is under consideration.
AGBU is in close communication with officials in Armenia to be appraised of the diplomatic efforts and social and organizational initiatives being taken to address the situation.
AGBU President Berge Setrakian sent out today an urgent appeal to the Union’s membership worldwide to join forces and use their resources to help the Syrian community that has symbolized historically the ultimate humanitarian refuge for the survivors of the Genocide.

YEREVAN — Armenia has temporarily moved its consulate-general in Aleppo to a safer location in Syria’s largest city after more than a week of fierce fighting between Syrian government troops and rebels, official Yerevan announced over the weekend.
Tigran Balayan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that the consulate premises are now located closer to central Aleppo neighborhoods populated by tens of thousands of ethnic Armenians. There have been no reports of major fighting there yet.
Balayan said the main purpose of the relocation is to “organize consular services provided to Syrian Armenians in a safer and faster manner.”
The Aleppo consulate as well as the Armenian Embassy in Damascus continue to function despite escalating violence in Syria. According to the Foreign Ministry, they have issued some 3,000 Armenian visas this year.
The diplomatic missions were also authorized last week to give Armenian passports to Syrian nationals of Armenian descent. According to immigration authorities in Yerevan, more than 6,000 of them have applied for dual Armenian citizenship since the beginning of last year.
There are an estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians living in Syria. Hundreds of them have taken refuge in their ancestral homeland in recent weeks alone. Armenia’s national airline, Armavia, launched additional flights to Aleppo last week, citing the need to enable more Syrian Armenians to flee the war-torn country.

By David Boyajian

If Turkey were to open its border with Armenia, and the two established diplomatic and trade relations, Turkey would still be a threat to Armenia.
Turkey would be a threat even if it were to acknowledge the Armenian genocide, pay reparations, and return stolen Armenian property. And the threat to Armenia would remain even if it someday regains its homeland which now lies in eastern Turkey.
Why? Because Turkey’s belligerent policies towards Armenians, its pan-Turkic goals in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and its neo-Ottoman ambitions pose essentially the same dangers today as at the time of the genocide. And they show no sign of ever changing.
Aside from a general awareness of the genocide and present-day Turkish hostility, however, many Armenians and others are unfamiliar with key details of past and present Turkish policies. Consequently, they underestimate the dangers that Armenia faces.
Even the commonly held view that “in 1915 the Young Turk regime committed genocide against Armenians in Turkey” is dangerously misleading.
The genocide actually lasted through 1923, five years after Turkey’s defeat in WWI. Two regimes conducted the genocide: Ottoman Young Turk and Kemalist. The latter, of course, founded today’s allegedly “modern” Turkey. And the genocide took place not only in “Turkey” but also, ominously, on what was and is today the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Endless Genocide
Turkifying and Islamizing the remnants of its empire was a key reason that Turkey destroyed its indigenous Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek Christians during WWI (1914-18). But Armenians and Armenian soil also lay just across the border, in the Caucasus region of the Russian empire, directly in the path of Turkey’s genocidal pan-Turkic jihad. Turkey committed genocide against those Armenians too, and ripped large chunks of territory from the new Armenian Republic, which had just been reborn from Russian Armenia.
Azeris — Turkey’s blood brothers then and now — also conducted large-scale massacres of Armenians in the Caucasus in WWI and through 1920.
After Turkey’s defeat in 1918, Turkish forces under Kemal (known later as Atatürk) continued the genocide in the Armenian Republic through 1920 and in Turkey through 1923.
Like Turkish leaders today who lie and deceive, Kemal publicly professed peaceful intentions toward Armenia. Secretly, however, he told his commanders that it is “of the utmost necessity that Armenia be both politically and physically eliminated.” Kemal, too, lopped off chunks of Armenia. Though it resisted heroically, only a Soviet takeover in December of 1920 saved Armenia from annihilation.
These facts are relevant to the perils that Armenia faces today because of Turkey’s pan-Turkic and neo-Ottoman foreign policies.

Pan-Turkism
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkey has established ongoing relationships with Azerbaijan and Central Asia’s new “Turkic-speaking” countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Turkey has invested billions of dollars and established Turkish schools and universities in these countries. Turkey’s President Gül declared that “Kyrgyzstan is our ancestral homeland” while visiting that country’s International Atatürk-Alatoo University.
Turkey hosts major gas and oil pipelines originating in Baku, coproduces weapons with Azerbaijan, and trains Azeri troops. In Turkic solidarity with Azerbaijan, Turkey has injected itself into the Artsakh/Karabagh conflict by closing its border with Armenia for two decades. The Turkish-Azeri axis — termed “one nation, two states” — harks back to its assault on Armenia during the genocide. One hundred years has changed nothing. Turkey remains enamored of Turkic blood bonds.
In the former Armenian province of Nakhichevan — now part of Azerbaijan and emptied of its Armenians — Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan recently signed a treaty creating the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States.
Let’s be clear. Only Soviet control of the Caucasus and Central Asia from the 1920’s to 1991, and Russian and Chinese dominance since then, have thwarted Turkey’s pan-Turkic goals.
For several decades, of course, Russia and China have possessed nuclear weapons. Turkey has not. Imagine what an arrogant, genocidal Turkey would have perpetrated by now had it possessed nuclear weapons. Turkey could still, unfortunately, acquire nuclear weapons or other WMDs.
Turkey’s dangerous imperial goals today also include “neo-Ottomanism.”

Neo-Ottomanism
Turkey regards itself as the leader of not only its former colonies in the Middle East and Balkans but also the entire Muslim world. Turkey is investing heavily in those regions.
Its Education Ministry recently released multi-media material that shows Armenia, Cyprus, and parts of Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, and Syria as being part of Turkey. Turkey claimed it was just a mistake.
“You are the grandchildren of the Ottomans. It will be the Ottomans who will make the world tremble again. If the Ottomans do not come back, the unbelievers will never be brought down to their knees.” A Turkish clergyman thundered those words to a frenzied Turkish rally in Belgium two decades ago.
In attendance were his admirers: Necmettin Erbakan, soon to be Turkey’s Prime Minister and the latter’s protégés, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdullah Gül, Turkey’s current Prime Minister and President.
Far from renouncing its bloody Ottoman past, such examples illustrate that Turkey embraces and wants to recreate it. Consequently, its threats against Armenia must never be taken lightly.

Turkish Threats
During the Artsakh/Karabagh war, Turkish President Turgut Özal repeatedly threatened Armenia. Armenians, he warned, “had not learned the lessons” of WWI — that is, the genocide.
According to Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos, former Greek ambassador to Armenia, U.S. and French intelligence sources confirm that Turkey was poised to invade Armenia in 1993. Ruslan Khasbulatov, a Chechen who was Speaker of the Russian Supreme Soviet and an opponent of Russian President Yeltsin, had secretly given Turkey the go-ahead to invade Armenia if he toppled Yelstin. Fortunately, Yelstin survived the challenge.
If not for the Armenian-Russian alliance of these past two decades, Turkey and Azerbaijan would have jointly attacked Armenia, with catastrophic consequences.
Despite Turkey’s hostile record, some Armenians have fallen victim to the constant drumbeat of propaganda that Turkey is “reforming.”

Turkish non-Reforms
Some even believe that acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide would be tantamount to Turkey’s having “reformed.” That’s absurd and a serious mistake.
An acknowledgment, which would almost certainly be incomplete, insincere, or reversible, could psychologically disarm Armenians into letting down their guard. By not owning up to the genocide, therefore, Turkey may unwittingly be doing Armenians a favor.
Turkey’s actual record is one of repression, followed by mass violence, interspersed with so-called “reforms.”
In the 19th century, large-scale massacres of Armenians, particularly those of the 1890s, followed Ottoman “reforms” such as the Tanzimat (anti-discrimination decrees). The Young Turk “reform” revolution of 1908 — cheered in the beginning by Armenians, Greeks, and other national groups — was followed by the 1909 Adana massacres, the 1915-23 extermination, and genocidal attacks on Russian Armenia and the Republic of Armenia.
Then along came the new “reformed, modern” Turkey of 1923. It confiscated Armenian property, destroyed Armenian churches, and Turkified Armenian city and village names. In 1943, Turkey unleashed its malicious Capital Tax program against Armenians, Greeks, and Jews.
Later came the devastating Istanbul riots of 1955. Did we mention Turkey’s massacre of Greek Cypriot civilians and ongoing occupation of northern Cyprus? The death squads and torture chambers? The repression, deportation, and massacre of Kurds and other minorities, and the jailing of dissidents and journalists?
All the while, we are told that Turkey is “reforming.”

Turkish Syndrome
In addition to Turkey’s policies, its political leaders pose a danger because of what one may term Turkish Political Personality Syndrome.
This syndrome is on full display today in “modern” Turkey’s constant threats, chest-beating, belligerence, malignant narcissism, hypocrisy, extortion, despotism, cruelty, crudeness, lies, broken pledges, and, of course, the use of violence. One cannot think of even one positive Turkish political quality.
The countless victims of Turkish violence down through the centuries are proof of Turkish leaders’ disordered state of mind.
There is little indication that either Turkey’s policies toward Armenians or their leaders’ disorder will ever change. Indeed, they may grow more threatening.
Yet, Armenians still hope that Turkey will change. How to make them aware that the Turkish threat is here to stay?

Education
Young people will, of course, become the adults who conduct the political, economic, cultural, and military affairs of Armenia. They must be equipped intellectually and psychologically to deal with Turkey.
From a young age, Armenian students must study — but not in Turkish schools — Turkish history, geo-politics, and language, and their application to present-day Armenian-Turkish relations.
The Turkish political personality and its violent and deceitful tendencies must be dissected and understood.
This is not easy, for two reasons. First, Armenians are bombarded by pro-Turkish and “reconciliation” propaganda from around the world and even by some Armenians. Second, we Armenians are unlike Turks and often have difficulty understanding their political culture.
Ultimately, future generations of Armenians will have to choose whom to believe. Will it be the allegedly “reformed, modern” Turkey? The international media that kowtows to Turkey? Countries that historically have betrayed Armenia?
Or will Armenians learn from the past and the hard-earned wisdom of their forebears?
Their decision may determine whether Armenia lives or dies.

David Boyajian is a freelance journalist. Many of his articles are archived on Armeniapedia.org.

Photo Credit:  Christian Science Monitor

LONDON, UK — Arsen Galstian of Russia (Born in Armenia) won the Olympic men’s 60-kilogram judo gold medal on Saturday.
Galstian defeated one of the favorites, Hiroaki Hiroaka of Japan, to take the division and then his first Olympic medal.
It took less than a minute for Galstian, 23, to score a match-ending ippon over Hiroaka, judo’s equivalent of a knockout. He previously won a bronze at the judo world championships. The Olympic bronze medals were won by Uzbekistan’s Rishod Sobirov and Felipe Kitadai of Brazil.
Armenian’s representative in the same weight class, Hovhannes Davtian, 28, from Gyumri, lost to French Sofiane Milou in the match for the bronze medal.
In earlier rounds Davtian defeated Azerbaijan’s Ilgar Mushkiev and Kazakhstan’s Ekebulan Kosaev, before lossing to Italy’s Elio Verde.

LONDON, UK — The London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony took place on 27 July 2012. Titled “Isles of Wonder”, the Ceremony welcomed the finest athletes from more than 200 nations for the start of the Games, marking an historic third time the capital has hosted the world’s biggest and most important sporting event.
The Opening Ceremony reflected the key themes and priorities of the London 2012 Games, based on sport, inspiration, youth and urban transformation. It was a Ceremony “for everyone” and celebrated contributions the UK has made to the world through innovation and revolution, as well as the creativity and exuberance of British people. The show featured British celebrities and sportspeople, including David Beckham and Bradley Wiggins, and screen characters Mr Bean and James Bond.

Queen Elizabeth II declared the London Olympics officially open, before seven young athletes were given the honor of lighting the ceremonial flame.
The spectacular finale of the event saw the Olympic Cauldron, formed of 205 copper petals representing the competing nations coming together in London for the Games, ignited by the young Torchbearers who were nominated by Britain’s past and present Olympic and sporting greats.
Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian was also in London to participate in the opening ceremony.

ISTANBUL — Turkish President Abdullah Gul received on Friday representatives of the ethnic minorities residing in the country.
According to Hurriyet, the meeting was attended by members of the Armenian, Greek, Assyrian and Bulgarian communities. The meeting was significant, as it represented the first time the leaders of minority communities together have been hosted by the president of Turkey.
The Armenian community was represented by the chief of the Holy Savior Hospital, Petros Shahinoglu and the director of the Armenian Catholic Church St. Hakob, Bernard Saribay. Syriac Orthodox Foundation’s representative Sait Susin, Greek Foundation representative Andon Parisyanos, Jewish community representative Sami Herman and Bulgarian community representative Vasil Liyaze attended the meeting.
The head of the delegation, representative of the Minority Foundations, Laki Vingas, told reporters after the reception that they had thanked the president for signing the bill on foundations into law. He said the document was very important as it helped them return their rights.

YEREVAN — A total of 25 athletes will represent Armenia at the 2012 London Olympic games, competing in sports such as judo, boxing, weightlifting, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, shooting, track and field athletics and taekwondo. The games will officially start on Friday.
The Armenian National Olympic Committee announced on Monday that any member of the Armenian Olympic Team who medals in the upcoming Games in London will be reward in cash for his/her medal.
A gold medal will be worth $100,000; silver, $75,000; and bronze, $50,000.
According to the Committee’s general secretary Grachia Rostomian, the Government of Armenia has also promised additional bonuses of $50,000, $37,000 and $25,000 for the corresponding medals.
National Olympic Committee chairman Gagik Tsarukian has said he will pay $700,000 to any athlete who wins gold for Armenia.
Boxer Andranik Hakobian stated that he is in good form and aiming for an Olympic medal. “We are going [to London] with high expectations,” said Hakobian. “We should try to do our utmost to return home with a medal.”
“We expect a good result,” said Karen Aghamalian, the head coach of Armenia’s national boxing team. “He [Hakobian] has worked hard to approach [the Olympics] in good form. He is the sole representative [of Armenia] in boxing, but he’s got real quality.”
Judo fighters Armen Nazarian and Hovannes Davtian are also part of Armenia’s Olympic team in London.
“They both are quite experienced judokas with achievements made in the past,” David Khitarian, deputy chairman of the Armenian Judo Federation, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service at Zvartnots. “The Olympic games will be the heights that they have so far been unable to climb. We hope we can win medals at these games.”
Nazarian, 30, won a European title in 2005 and also became a bronze and silver medalist at European championships before and after that. And Davtian, 28, won a silver medal at the 2007 European championship and a bronze medal at the world championships two years later.
For the first time ever, Armenia will have a taekwondo fighter competing in the Olympics.
Armenian athletes won six bronze medals at the 2008 Olympic games held in Beijing, China.

25 athletes representing Armenia at London Olympics

Official Olympics Website Places Armenia In Russia
The Soviet Union is dead, long live the Soviet Union!
On the website of the London 2012 Olympics, that is.
Russia is sending 436 athletes to the Olympic Games that get under way this week. But a quick search on its Russian athletes pages finds a handful of Olympians listed as having been born in parts of Russia that, well, aren’t parts of Russia — but were parts of the Soviet Union.
The entry for judo fighter Arsen Galstyan lists his place and date of birth as “Armenia (RUS)” in 1989, while boxer David Ayrapetyan is listed as having been born in “Baku (RUS)” six years earlier.

Syrian-Armenians arriving in Yerevan

YEREVAN — Armenia announced on Thursday a major simplification of procedures for granting Armenian citizenship to thousands of ethnic Armenians in Syria increasingly affected by the country’s bloody strife.
In a move meant to facilitate their immigration, the Armenian government said Syrian Armenians seeking citizenship of their ancestral homeland will now be able to receive their new passports at Armenia’s diplomatic missions in Damascus and Aleppo as well as neighboring Lebanon.
“With this decision we are proposing that our compatriots in Syria and Lebanon be able, after gaining Armenian citizenship, to receive passports at our diplomatic missions there,” Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobian told a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian.
“Thousands of people are applying to receive citizenship,” she said. “There are difficulties with their travel, especially from Syria, and in this regard this decision will greatly facilitate the process of the naturalization of our compatriots.”
According to immigration authorities in Yerevan, some 6,000 Syrian nationals of Armenian descent have applied for Armenian citizenship since the outbreak of anti-government unrest in Syria early last year. It is not clear how many of them have already been granted one. Most of the applicants are believed to still reside in Syria.
Naturalized citizens have until now been required to pick their Armenian passports only at immigration police offices in Yerevan. Some Syrian Armenians have complained about this requirement in recent weeks.
Some of them are also unhappy with the fact that unlike U.S. and European Union nationals, Syrians cannot receive Armenian visas at Yerevan airport. “This is a major problem that must be solved by all means because Syrian Armenians don’t know how to get out of their country,” Vazgen Mesropian, a Syrian Armenian man who settled in Yerevan recently, said on Thursday.
“Of course, we are ready to accept and help our fellow Armenians,” Hovannes Sahakian, a senior lawmaker from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “I think the government is taking some steps and will continue to take steps more rapidly.”
In particular, he said, the Armenian government is prepared to arrange more frequent flights between Yerevan and Aleppo if the situation in Syria deteriorates further. Still, Sahakian stressed that official Yerevan will not encourage Syrian Armenians to leave their country en masse and organize their evacuation for the time being.
“If our state tries to evacuate them in this chaotic situation, this could be interpreted, including by the international community, in a different way: that we are meddling in Syria’s internal affairs,” he said. “That could create a more dangerous situation for the Syrian Armenian community.”

YEREVAN — An Azerbaijani army soldier was captured by Armenian troops after crossing into Armenia in unclear circumstances early on Thursday.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said the 20-year-old conscript, Firuz Farajov, surrendered to its forces guarding a western section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. “The border violator was arrested and an investigation is underway,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement added that the Yerevan office of the International Committee of the Red Cross has been informed about the incident.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry confirmed Farajov’s capture. According to 1news.az, the ministry said the soldier was taken prisoner after he “got lost” near Azerbaijani army positions in the western Tovuz district bordering Tavush province in northeastern Armenia.
The mountainous area is the most volatile section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier, with both sides regularly reporting skirmishes between their troops stationed there. Last month two Armenian citizens were injured by the Azerbaijani fires, and during the first seven months of 2012the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime about 11 thousand times.
At least five Azerbaijani and three Armenian soldiers died in a series of gun battles in the same area early last month. Each side blamed the other for that upsurge in fighting which prompted serious concern from the United States, the European Union and Russia.
An Azerbaijani sergeant, Mammadbagir Akhundzade, was captured along the more militarized Armenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact” around Nagorno-Karabakh last January after allegedly deserting his army unit deployed northeast of the territory. According to the Armenian military, he was freed and deported to an unspecified “third country” last month.
Akhundzade was not the first Azerbaijani prisoner of war who apparently chose not to return to his homeland for fear of prosecution. Azerbaijani soldiers returning from Armenian captivity are known to have been routinely prosecuted and given lengthy prison sentences on charges of high treason.

BURBANK, CA — To mark the 125th anniversary of the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party (SDHP), a conference featuring world-renowned scholars will take place on Oct. 27 at Woodbury University in Burbank, CA.
The event is co-sponsored by the Richard G. Hovannisian Chair in Modern Armenian History at the University of California, Los Angeles; the Armenian Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn; the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, and Woodbury University.
Scholars who have already committed to participate in – and present papers at – this conference include Prof. Richard Hovannisian, Dr. Gerard Libaridian,Prof. Ara Dostourian, Dr. Ara Sanjian, Prof. Vartan Matiossian, Dr. Garabet Moumdjian, Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, Dr. Vahram Shemmassian, Rev. Dr. Able Manougian and historian Aram Arkun.
The co-sponsors and organizers have issuing a call for papers in anticipation of additional submissions from researchers in the United States, and also from around the world. All proposals will be peer- reviewed by an ad hoc committee of experts in the field. The authors, whose abstracts are accepted, will be notified by e-mail by August 31, 2012.
The co-sponsors hope that this conference will thus break new ground in study of the political, intellectual and social history of the Armenian people from the end of the nineteenth century to the present.
For more information on submission requirements, deadlines and other details, please visit www.SDHP125.org

YEREVAN — The speaker of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin, promoted a deeper economic and political integration of Russia and other former Soviet republics during an official visit to Armenia on Tuesday.
Naryshkin said he “spoke a lot” about what he described as “the Eurasian project” advanced by Moscow at his meetings in Yerevan with President Serzh Sarkisian and other senior Armenian officials.
“The leadership of the Republic of Armenia is attentively monitoring the development of that Eurasian project and is seeking to determine its place in this project, realizing that the Eurasian economic area is a format for the development of economic relations,” he told journalists after the talks.
Naryshkin, who served as the Kremlin chief of staff before taking over Russia’s lower house of parliament last December, appeared to refer the idea of a Russian-led “Eurasian Union” of former Soviet republics put forward by President Vladimir Putin last year. Putin said it would be built around the existing customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Naryshkin said trade among the three nations soared by 30 percent last year thanks to the customs union. That increase shows that the efforts to set up a “common economic space” in the former Soviet Union are already bearing fruit, he said.
The Armenian government has explicitly ruled out membership in the customs union, arguing that Armenia has no common border with any of its member states. This stance is construed by some analyst as an indication of Yerevan’s lukewarm attitude towards the deeper Eurasian Union.
Official Armenian sources made no specific mention of the union in press releases on the Duma speaker’s meetings with President Serzh Sarkisian, Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian and parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian. President Sarkisian was cited as saying that his administration is committed to further deepening “allied” relations with Russia because they are “the cornerstone of Armenia’s security.”
Speaking at a joint news conference with Abrahamian, Naryshkin praised the growing volume of Russian-Armenian trade and emphasized the fact that Russia is Armenia’s leading trading partner and foreign investor. He also noted “with satisfaction” that he received assurances that the Armenian parliament will ratify this autumn a free trade agreement that was signed by Russia, Armenia and six other ex-Soviet states in Saint Petersburg last October.
Sergei Naryshkin and his delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex accompanied by Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Edward Sharmazanov.
Naryshkin laid a wreath at the memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims after which the members of the delegation put flowers at the Eternal Fire and honored the memory of the innocent victims with a minute of silence.
Members of the Russian delegation visited the Armenian Genocide Museum where they got acquainted with the temporary exhibition titled “Book as a witness of the Genocide” dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the Armenian printing and proclamation of Yerevan as 2012 World Book Capital City by UNESCO. Afterwards Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation left a note in the Commemoration Book.

WASHINGTON, DC — The House of Representatives defeated, on a bipartisan basis, an ill-conceived measure that singled out Turkey for preferential treatment to engage in economic development projects on tribal lands in the United States. H. R. 2362, the Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act, was brought to the floor for a vote under the suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority for passage. The measure was defeated 222-160, falling short of the 255 votes needed.
Representatives Doc Hastings (R-WA), Tom Cole (R-OK), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), James Moran (D-VA), Dan Boren (D-OK) along with Delegate Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS) spoke in favor of the Bill, while Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) led the charge against the legislation.
During the debate, Bill Sponsor Cole noted that he was approached by the Turkish Coalition of America about the legislation. According to campaign contribution records, Representative Cole has received $6,000 in Turkish PAC money this cycle while Representative Foxx received $10,000. Representative Cole argued that H.R. 2362 does not grant Turkey preferential treatment.
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Pallone, who indicated his support for “efforts to bring economic prosperity to Indian Country,” voiced his strong opposition to the Bill: “To put it quite simply, there is no good reason for passage of this legislation. In fact, there are a whole host of reasons why this legislation should fail today.” Citing a litany of concerns, including Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide and “illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus,” Representative Pallone urged his colleagues to vote against it.
Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair Maloney called the Bill unnecessary given that Congress has already adopted a more comprehensive measure, the HEARTH Act (H.R. 205). Further Representative Maloney recognized the opposition of the Ranking Members of the House Natural Resources and Foreign Affairs Committees, Representatives Edward Markey (D-MA) and Howard Berman (D-CA), respectively, and also raised concerns about Turkey’s human rights record and restrictions on religious freedom.
Representative John Sarbanes closed the debate for opponents of the Bill stating he did not believe that providing preferential treatment to one country, Turkey, can be “justified.” Echoing the sentiments of Representatives Pallone and Maloney, Sarbanes raised concerns about Turkey’s increasingly hostile actions to U.S. allies, including Israel, Cyprus and Armenia and called for a recorded vote. Sarbanes also cited that two years ago, while serving as a member of the United Nations Security Council, Turkey voted against sanctions on Iran to thwart its nuclear weapons program.
In addition to speaking on the House floor, Representative Sarbanes spearheaded a Dear Colleague along with Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) as did Representatives Berman, Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Shelley Berkley (D-NV); Representative Edward Markey; Representative Pallone; Representatives Sarbanes; Maloney, Pallone, and Nikki Tsongas (D-MA); and Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA).

By Taner Akcam
NY Times

A NEW political order is emerging in the Middle East, and Turkey aspires to be its leader by taking a stand against authoritarian regimes. Earlier this week, Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, went so far as to denounce the Syrian government’s continuing massacres of civilians as “attempted genocide.”
Turkey’s desire to champion human rights in the region is a welcome development, but Mr. Erdogan’s condemnation of Syria is remarkably hypocritical. As long as Turkey continues to deny crimes committed against non-Turks in the early 1900s, during the final years of the Ottoman Empire, its calls for freedom, justice and humanitarian values will ring false.
Turkey’s attempt to cultivate an image as the global protector of Muslim rights is compromised by a legacy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Christians and terror against Arabs and Kurds. Memories of these crimes are very much alive throughout former Ottoman territories. And Turkey cannot serve as a democratic model until it acknowledges that brutal violence, population transfers and genocide underlie the modern Turkish state.
Using documents from the Ottoman government archives in Istanbul, which were once classified as top secret, I have sought to pull back the veil on Turkey’s century of denial. These documents clearly demonstrate that Ottoman demographic policy from 1913 to 1918 was genocidal. Indeed, the phrase “crimes against humanity” was coined as a legal term and first used on May 24, 1915, in response to the genocide against Armenians and other Christian civilians.
Britain, France and Russia initially defined Ottoman atrocities as “crimes against Christianity” but later substituted “humanity” after considering the negative reaction that such a specific term could elicit from Muslims in their colonies.
Today, Mr. Erdogan is seeking to be a global spokesman for Muslim values. In June 2011, he told thousands gathered to celebrate the landslide victory of his Justice and Development Party, known as the A.K.P.: “Sarajevo won today as much as Istanbul; Beirut won as much as Izmir; Damascus won as much as Ankara. Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza won as much as Diyarbakir.”
Speaking in support of oppressed Muslims has earned him popularity. But if Mr. Erdogan aspires to defend freedom and democracy in the region, he must also address the legitimate fears of Christians in the Middle East. Just as the European powers opted for universalism in 1915 by denouncing “crimes against humanity,” Mr. Erdogan must move beyond his narrow focus on “crimes against Muslims.” All oppressed peoples deserve protection.
It isn’t a coincidence that many Christians and other minorities in Syria support Bashar al-Assad’s Baath Party; they are willing to sacrifice freedom for security. While Turkish rhetoric appeals to the Sunni Muslim majority’s demand for freedom in Syria, it does not relieve Syrian Christians’ anxiety about their future. On the contrary, Syrian Christians listening to Mr. Erdogan and his denialist rhetoric are reminded of 1915, and that makes Turkey look very much like a security threat to them.
Confronting the past is closely linked to security, stability and democracy in the Middle East. Persistent denial of historical injustices not only impedes democratization but also hampers stable relations between different ethnic and religious groups.
This is particularly true in former Ottoman lands, where people view one another in the cloaks of their ancestors. In addition to the reverberations of the Armenian genocide, mass crimes against Kurds and Alevis in Turkey, violence against Kurds and Arabs in Iraq, and Christian-Muslim tensions in Syria and Lebanon continue to poison contemporary politics.
The popularity of the A.K.P. in Turkey and the Muslim world affords Mr. Erdogan an opportunity to usher in an era of tolerance. By acknowledging the genocide against Christians and crimes against other groups, the Turks can become leaders in the realm of human rights. But Turkey’s efforts to paint itself as a beacon of freedom and democracy will fail so long as Turkey refuses to atone for Ottoman sins.
Moral purists and hard-nosed realists mistakenly believe that pursuing justice and national interests are mutually exclusive. But acknowledging historical wrongs is not a zero-sum game.
In the Middle East, the past is the present. And truth and reconciliation are integral to establishing a new, stable regional order founded on respect for human rights and dignity. Turkey should lead by example.

Taner Akcam, a professor of history at Clark University, is the author of “The Young Turks’ Crime Against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire.”

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The Arax river separating Armenia and Iran.

YEREVAN — Armenia and Iran fleshed out on Tuesday plans for the establishment of a natural reserve on either side of their border, which is meant to symbolize and cement growing cooperation between the two neighboring states.
The issue topped the agenda of a three-day visit to Armenia by Mohammad-Javad Mohammad-izadeh, head of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization, a government agency. Mohammadizadeh, who is also one of his country’s 12 vice-presidents, discussed it with President Serzh Sarkisian, Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgian and Environment Protection Minister Aram Harutiunian.
The creation of the Friendship and Peace Park is envisaged by an Armenian-Iranian agreement on joint environment protection that was signed by Mohammadizadeh and Harutiunian in Tehran in March. They signed a follow-up memorandum of understanding in Yerevan.
The two officials elaborated on those plans at a joint conference. In particular, it was announced that the park will cover around 65,000 hectares (160,000 acres) of land straddling the Arax river, which marks the Armenian-Iranian border.
Gevorgian was quoted by his press service as stressing the project’s importance at the meeting with the visiting Iranian official. He said it will not only protect wildlife and flora in the mountainous area but also promote ecotourism.
It was not clear just when the conservation area will be formally set up. Mohammadizadeh will travel on Wednesday to Armenia’s southeastern Syunik province bordering Iran to familiarize himself with 34,000 hectares of land set aside for the project from the Armenian side.
The Armenian-Iranian park will be close to the site of a hydroelectric plant which the two governments plan to build on the Arax. The construction of the 140-megawatt facility, estimated to cost $350 million, is due to start next month. An agreement to that effect that was announced after Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namjou’s June 4 visit to Yerevan.
Another top Iranian official, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar, visited the Armenian capital last week. He praised the Islamic Republic’s growing ties with Armenia, saying that they should “serve as a model for the other neighboring countries.”

The commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, inspects Armenian peacekeeping troops in Yerevan

YEREVAN — The commander of U.S. Army troops stationed in Europe, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, met with Armenia’s top military leaders and discussed growing U.S.-Armenian military ties during a visit to Yerevan on Wednesday.
Hertling held separate talks with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian and Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov, chief of the Armenian army’s General Staff, on the second leg of a regional tour that he began in Georgia on Tuesday. He also visited Armenia’s main military academy and watched training exercises held by Armenian soldiers.
Some of them represented a special Armenian army brigade that has contributed troops to U.S.-led multinational missions abroad. A 35-strong detachment of the brigade flew to Kosovo on Friday, resuming Yerevan’s participation in a NATO-led peacekeeping force deployed in the former Yugoslav province. The platoon is serving there under U.S. command.
According to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Hertling discussed with Ohanian and Khachaturov the Armenian deployment in Kosovo and broader U.S.-Armenian military cooperation. That includes training of Armenian military personnel and Armenian participation in multinational exercises organized by the U.S. Army in Europe, said a ministry statement.
“During the meetings the two sides noted the high-level of U.S.-Armenian defense cooperation and discussed prospects for its development,” added the statement.
Ohanian, who visited Washington in March, said earlier this month that that cooperation entered a “more coordinated and targeted phase” last year. John Heffern, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia who was present at Hertling’s talks, likewise hailed last week “tremendous growth” in bilateral military ties which he said has occurred in the last three years.
The Armenian military announced in February that the two nations will likely hold soon first-ever bilateral exercises that will be primarily aimed at improving the interoperability of their forces deployed in Afghanistan. Neither side has reported such drills yet, however.

YEREVAN — The Azerbaijani authorities have reportedly pledged to refrain from the threat or use of force against the civilian aircrafts of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Summing up the outcomes of their visit to the South Caucasus region, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group renewed assurances from both sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue.
Following is the text of the statement:
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and Jacques Faure of France) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) traveled July 10-13 to Baku, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Yerevan.
In Baku, the Co-Chairs met with President Aliyev and Foreign Minister Mammadyarov; in Nagorno-Karabakh they met with de facto authorities; in Yerevan, they met with President Sarkisian, Foreign Minister Nalbandian, and Defense Minister Ohanian. On July 11, the Co-Chairs again crossed the Line of Contact by foot. On July 12, they traveled from Nagorno-Karabakh to Yerevan via Kelbajar, their first visit to that region since the October 2010 Field Assessment Mission. In all their meetings, the Co-Chairs reaffirmed their countries’ resolute commitment to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as the Presidents of the three Co-Chair countries emphasized in their June 18 joint statement at Los Cabos.
The Co-Chairs continued discussions from their June 18 meeting in Paris with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Co-Chairs expressed their deep concern over recent incidents along the frontlines, and reiterated that the sides’ political will to achieve peace is best demonstrated by refraining from maximalist positions, respecting the 1994 ceasefire agreement, and abstaining from hostile public rhetoric.
Regarding reports of the planned opening of an airport in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs received renewed assurances from the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue. The Co-Chairs reaffirmed that operation of this airport cannot be used to support any claim of a change in the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the sides to act in accordance with international law and consistent with current practice for flights over their territory.
The Co-Chairs plan to meet again separately with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to prepare for a joint meeting of the Ministers in September.

By Taniel Koushakjian

Miami, FL — Last month, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H. Res. 506, legislation “calling on the Government of Turkey to facilitate the reopening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Theological School of Halki without condition or further delay.” A symbolic measure similar to the Armenian Genocide resolution, H. Res. 506 (the Halki bill) is a non-binding, sense of the House resolution and has no legal or statutory effect. Florida Congressman, and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), introduced the Halki Bill. Bilirakis is the Co-Chair of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, and a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and International Religious Freedom Caucus.
Founded in 1844, the Theological School of Halki served as the principal seminary for the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate until Turkish authorities forcibly closed the institution in 1971. “It is time that the Theological School at Halki is immediately reopened with no preconditions,” Congressman Bilirakis said. “What the Orthodox Christian community and all religious freedom watchdogs throughout the world are asking for is simply that Turkey abides by its constitution, which secures religious rights for all of its citizens and institutions,” stated Bilirakis.
In addition to Congressman Bilirakis, 35 Members of Congress cosponsored the bill, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Florida Representatives Mario Diaz-Bolart (R-FL), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), David Rivera (R-FL) and Allen West (R-FL). The next step in the legislative process is for H. Res. 506 to be scheduled for a vote on the House floor. There is no indication that the Halki bill will receive a vote by the full House at this time. However, given the upcoming Presidential election, it would not be surprising to see H. Res. 506 pass the House of Representatives before November.
Two weeks following committee passage of H. Res. 506, Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen wrote a punishing Op-Ed in the Washington Times explicitly calling on Turkey to leave Cyprus in peace. In her opinion column, Ros-Lehtinen strongly condemned the “illegal military occupation of Cyprus by Turkish troops,” highlighting the “75 [United Nations Security Council] resolutions calling for Turkey to allow Greek Cypriots to return to their homes and to withdraw its troops from Cyprus.”
Turkey invaded the Mediterranean island in 1974, dividing it between the north and south, causing massive destruction of life, land and religious artifacts. The decades long presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus, which today number 40,000, in addition to Ankara’s promotion of mainland-Turkish emigration to the occupied territory, amount to Turkey’s “creeping annexation” of the island, according to Ros-Lehtinen.
Cyprus is a member of the European Union (EU), which Turkey aspires to join, with US support. Yet Turkey does not recognize the existence of the Cypriot Republic, a major obstacle in Turkey’s EU bid. In recent months, pressure has been mounting heavily on Turkey to end its illegal occupation and help bring about a peaceful reunification of the island, as Cyprus assumed the rotating EU Presidency on July 5.
As Ros-Lehtinen points out in her column, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements unequivocally illustrate Ankara’s annexation policy. While in Cyprus last year Erdogan told Turkish-Cypriots, “If you don’t want us to send people, you need to have more babies.” Also last year, Erdogan visited Germany; home to approximately 3 million ethnic Turks. In his address to the Turkish-German community Erdogan told his ethnic kin to integrate into German society, but to resist “assimilation,” irking German officials. Statements such as these do little to quell Western fears of the Turkish Prime Minister and his ruling Justice & Development Party’s growing neo-Ottomanism, which many view as an extension of the Ottoman Empire’s pan-Turanism policy. That policy led to the 1915 Armenian Genocide, where 1.5 million Armenians perished in a systematic effort by Ottoman Turks to cleans Anatolia of its ethnic Christian (Armenian, Greek and Assyrian) origins.
Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen is a member of the Armenian Caucus, Hellenic Caucus & Turkish Caucus. As previously reported by FLArmenians, Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen was instrumental in the successful passage of H. Res. 306, the Protection of Christian Heritage bill, by the full House of Representatives in December of last year. Ros-Lehtinen and Bilirakis are the only members on the Armenian Caucus from the Florida delegation, and the only members of the Florida delegation to cosponsor H. Res. 306.
In February, the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) held a screening of the one-hour documentary “Cyprus Still Divided: A US Foreign Policy Failure,” at the Archimedean Academy Amphitheater in Miami, Florida. Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen offered the keynote address at this event and expressed strong support for Hellenic-American issues. Reflecting on her family’s experience fleeing the communist regime of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, “I know…what is at stake if we in this country fail to support the Greek-Cypriots in their struggle,” Ros-Lehtinen said.
Whether Congressional leaders genuinely support efforts to protect international religious freedom in Turkey, especially in the face of growing persecution of Christian minorities and a culture of anti-Christian intimidation throughout the Middle East, remains to be seen in either US law or the execution of foreign policy. Although foreign relations is Constitutionally reserved to the Executive branch, Congress retains many tools at its disposal, such as the state department authorization act, national defense authorization act, foreign assistance appropriations measures, and the authorization of US military and defense company procurements, all of which have the ability to dramatically impact US policy in the region.

Taniel Koushakjian is an independent political commentator for Florida Armenians (www.flarmenians.com). He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and is currently enrolled at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at flarmenians@gmail.com, and on Twitter @Taniel_Shant.

PARIS — French President Francois Hollande confirmed Saturday plans for a new law criminalising denial of the Armenian genocide with representatives of the Armenian community, the Elysee Palace said, effectively refuting a statement to the contrary made by his foreign minister.
The minister, Laurent Fabius, said on Thursday that a similar law that was struck down by France’s constitutional court in February is unlikely to be revived. Fabius spoke after talks in Paris with his visiting Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, which underlined a thaw in French-Turkish relations that followed Hollande’s victory in recent presidential elections.
French-Armenian leaders were quick to express serious concern at Fabius’s remarks. Hollande moved to allay those concerns in a phone conversation with a top representative of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF), an umbrella structure representing the 500,000-strong Armenian community.
“Francois Hollande has again expressed his willingness to propose a bill designed to curb the denial of the Armenian genocide, as he had said during his campaign and even before,” the CCAF said in a statement.
The presidential Elysee Palace confirmed the telephone conversation and told AFP on Saturday: “The president expressed his commitments during the campaign. He will keep them.” “There is no change, although we must find a path, a road that allows for a text that is consistent with the constitution,” it said.
Meanwhile, official Ankara played down the significance of Hollande’s statements. “We pay more attention to the statement of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius,” an unnamed Turkish Foreign Ministry official told “Hurriyet Daily News” on Sunday.
“I believe that the new team in power in Paris will have the wisdom not to reopen this file,” Foreign Minister Davutoglu said for his part in an interview with the French daily “Liberation” published on Monday.